"Recognize Kosovo to join EU"

Daniel Serwer believes that Serbia will "have to accept Kosovo's independence in some way in order to join the EU". "I think it will be necessary for Serbia to in some way accept Kosovo's independence in order to be accepted into the European Union," FoNet news agency quoted the vice president of the United States Institute of Peace on Friday. "Recognize Kosovo to join EU" Serwer, who spoke for VOA, also said that the U.S. have been "ignoring" the Balkans preoccupied with many other problems. "The EU is holding the cards in the Balkans. The union is divided on the Kosovo issue. There are five members that are not ready to recognize Kosovo's independence," he continued, and said that as a result, "the EU is unable to impose a condition on Serbia to join the union", in other words, to make Belgrade recognize Kosovo first. "Of course, the EU cannot impose that condition, but everyone knows that it exists. At least two EU countries will otherwise veto Serbia's membership," stated Serwer. He added that "this fact must be accepted", i.e., that "some form of acceptance of Kosovo's independence will be necessary, either as a bilateral agreement or approval of Kosovo's UN membership". "In other words, I am not sure that it's realistic for Serbia to join the EU without recognizing Kosovo," this analyst specified. Speaking about the building of "state capacities of Kosovo", Serwer stressed that it is "necessary to let the people of Kosovo rule themselves, since they have lived for a long time under UN tutelage with sharp restrictions", rendering them "afraid to make mistakes" now. "The international community needs to step back a little, but not in the critical areas such as judiciary and ethnic issues. However, in many other areas, such as taxation, social and education policies, Kosovo's institutions should have jurisdiction." He also commented on the strengthening political and economic ties between Serbia and Russia by saying that Belgrade is looking to Moscow "in part for political and not entirely economic reasons". "It's the choice that Belgrade has made grateful to Russia for her support over Kosovo. I think that Serbia is in this way paying a high price for rejecting Kosovo's independence," believes Serwer.

"Recognize Kosovo to join EU"

Serwer, who spoke for VOA, also said that the U.S. have been "ignoring" the Balkans preoccupied with many other problems.

"The EU is holding the cards in the Balkans. The union is divided on the Kosovo issue. There are five members that are not ready to recognize Kosovo's independence," he continued, and said that as a result, "the EU is unable to impose a condition on Serbia to join the union", in other words, to make Belgrade recognize Kosovo first.

"Of course, the EU cannot impose that condition, but everyone knows that it exists. At least two EU countries will otherwise veto Serbia's membership," stated Serwer.

He added that "this fact must be accepted", i.e., that "some form of acceptance of Kosovo's independence will be necessary, either as a bilateral agreement or approval of Kosovo's UN membership".

"In other words, I am not sure that it's realistic for Serbia to join the EU without recognizing Kosovo," this analyst specified.

Speaking about the building of "state capacities of Kosovo", Serwer stressed that it is "necessary to let the people of Kosovo rule themselves, since they have lived for a long time under UN tutelage with sharp restrictions", rendering them "afraid to make mistakes" now.

"The international community needs to step back a little, but not in the critical areas such as judiciary and ethnic issues. However, in many other areas, such as taxation, social and education policies, Kosovo's institutions should have jurisdiction."

He also commented on the strengthening political and economic ties between Serbia and Russia by saying that Belgrade is looking to Moscow "in part for political and not entirely economic reasons".

"It's the choice that Belgrade has made grateful to Russia for her support over Kosovo. I think that Serbia is in this way paying a high price for rejecting Kosovo's independence," believes Serwer.