"Serbia will have to choose Kosovo or EU"

Vice-President of the U.S. Institute for Peace Daniel Serwer said that Serbia won’t join the EU unless it "de facto recognizes Kosovo". “Belgrade has the right not to recognize Kosovo and no one will force it to do so, but Serbia cannot expect to be an EU member-state and keep Kosovo – it’s one or the other,” Serwer told Voice of America. "Serbia will have to choose Kosovo or EU" However, he said that the "EU cannot tell Belgrade that, because there are five of the 27 EU member-states that do not recognize Kosovo independence, but I think that the stance of the majority will take over in the end.” He went on to say that the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – that is deliberating the legality of the Kosovo Albanian UDI – does not impose any obligations, "but is only advisory", and added that "it would be good if it could lead to solving the Kosovo question". “Belgrade asked the court to give an opinion on the question and I believe that it should respect the decision and act in accordance with it, whether positive or negative. On the other hand, Pristina did not want it and was against sending the case to the International Court of Justice, therefore Kosovo already has more right to reject its decision than Belgrade,” said Serwer. He added that the "time has come for direct talks without mediators between Belgrade and Pristina, based on equal footing". Serwer said that northern Kosovo is "under Belgrade’s direct control" and that he "would not refer to it as parallel institutions, but Serb institutions", adding that this has been the case since the end of the war and that is how it will stay "until the international community does something to change the situation". In this context, the U.S. analysts expressed his support for the plan of Pieter Feith "that would give Serbs in north Kosovo a high level of autonomy". The so-called strategy for integration of northern Kosovo, seeking to place the Serb areas under control of the Kosovo Albanian government in Pristina, has been rejected by Serbs in the north, and official Belgrade.

"Serbia will have to choose Kosovo or EU"

However, he said that the "EU cannot tell Belgrade that, because there are five of the 27 EU member-states that do not recognize Kosovo independence, but I think that the stance of the majority will take over in the end.”

He went on to say that the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – that is deliberating the legality of the Kosovo Albanian UDI – does not impose any obligations, "but is only advisory", and added that "it would be good if it could lead to solving the Kosovo question".

“Belgrade asked the court to give an opinion on the question and I believe that it should respect the decision and act in accordance with it, whether positive or negative. On the other hand, Priština did not want it and was against sending the case to the International Court of Justice, therefore Kosovo already has more right to reject its decision than Belgrade,” said Serwer.

He added that the "time has come for direct talks without mediators between Belgrade and Priština, based on equal footing".

Serwer said that northern Kosovo is "under Belgrade’s direct control" and that he "would not refer to it as parallel institutions, but Serb institutions", adding that this has been the case since the end of the war and that is how it will stay "until the international community does something to change the situation".

In this context, the U.S. analysts expressed his support for the plan of Pieter Feith "that would give Serbs in north Kosovo a high level of autonomy".

The so-called strategy for integration of northern Kosovo, seeking to place the Serb areas under control of the Kosovo Albanian government in Priština, has been rejected by Serbs in the north, and official Belgrade.