Kosovo diplomat in Belgrade
October 23, 2014
Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj said Thursday's visit pointed to improving ties between the republic of 1.8 million, largely ethnic Albanians, and its sometimes-hostile neighbor. Although Serbia refuses to recognize Kosovo, the European Union has brokered talks between the two sides to achieve a normalization of ties ahead of potential EU membership.
"This is a very important political move which should be seen as the first historic visit of a Kosovo foreign minister to Serbia," Hoxhaj told reporters on Thursday. "Something that was still unthinkable in 2011 is happening today, showing to which point our relations have improved," Hoxhaj added.
Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati also arrived in Belgrade Thursday, amid tensions following last week's brawl at a soccer game, when the countries' national teams abandoned a Euro 2016 qualifier in the Serbian capital after a drone carried the Albanian flag over the stadium. Relations between the countries have grown sensitive over Kosovo, as well as the ethnic Albanian-minority in southern Serbia, which often demands more autonomy.
"The common denominator of this region is not nationalism, but the need and desire for economic prosperity and for social and economic transformation," Bushati said on Thursday. Following the tensions, however, Edi Rama postponed until November his own visit to Serbia, the first such trip by an Albanian prime minister in nearly 70 years.
'An independent state'
Serbia, Kosovo and Albania all have intentions of joining the 28-nation EU bloc. Hoxhaj urged officials in Belgrade to sign a legally binding agreement on the normalization of ties between the former foes before Serbia could join the European Union. Hoxhaj said that would amount to a "peace agreement" between the two countries.
"Wherever I ago I embody Kosovo's sovereignty as an independent state," Hoxhaj said, referring to his title of foreign minister.
Serbian troops left Kosovo after a 1998-99 war with an ethnic-Albanian rebel group that enjoyed broad loyal support in which 10,000 people died. A NATO bombing campaign eventually supported Kosovo's independence movement when Serbia launched a violent assault on ethnic Albanians.
On Wednesday, the International Olympic Committee put Kosovo on the road to recognition, potentially allowing it to compete in the 2016 games in Brazil. Since 2008, more than 100 countries, including the United States and most EU member nations, have recognized Kosovo as an independent state. However, Russia has vetoed UN membership for the country.
mkg/sb (Reuters, AFP, AP)