"Balkans, except Kosovo, low priority"

An American analyst believes that the Balkans, with the exception of Kosovo, will hardly feature among the new U.S. administration's foreign policy priorities. Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs in New York Jonathan Clarke explained that Kosovo will be an exception because of the implications it may have on the Transcaucasus. "Balkans, except Kosovo, low priority" "I think that the Balkans will be at the bottom of the list of our priorities," Tanjug quoted him as saying. But, he continued, since Russia will be one of the top priorities - because of the Russian gas, Moscow's relations Brussels and Russia's influence in the Near East – "I think that there will be an undercover reexamination of the consequences of the Kosovo independence recognition," Clarke said in an interview with the Voice of America. He holds that there is growing consensus in the West that the decision on Kosovo was reached in a hasty manner and without the consent of Moscow, which has caused an aggravation of relations with Russia. "The West's further insisting on [Russian] concessions, particularly in respect to Serbia, might lead to certain repercussions in the relations with Russia, which the West will, of course, try to avoid from now on," the U.S. analyst assessed.

"Balkans, except Kosovo, low priority"

"I think that the Balkans will be at the bottom of the list of our priorities," Tanjug quoted him as saying.

But, he continued, since Russia will be one of the top priorities - because of the Russian gas, Moscow's relations Brussels and Russia's influence in the Near East – "I think that there will be an undercover reexamination of the consequences of the Kosovo independence recognition," Clarke said in an interview with the Voice of America.

He holds that there is growing consensus in the West that the decision on Kosovo was reached in a hasty manner and without the consent of Moscow, which has caused an aggravation of relations with Russia.

"The West's further insisting on [Russian] concessions, particularly in respect to Serbia, might lead to certain repercussions in the relations with Russia, which the West will, of course, try to avoid from now on," the U.S. analyst assessed.