The failure to hold the planned meeting of the joint Kosovo-Serbia commissions on missing persons in Brussels is being seen as confirmation of the stagnation in the dialogue process. Daniel Serwer, an American expert on the Balkans, says the United States is seeking to break the impasse through the Strategic Dialogue.
The lack of progress on the issue, for which Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement at the end of last year, confirms the blockage in the Brussels-facilitated dialogue. According to Serwer, the United States is attempting to bypass this impasse.
Despite both sides agreeing to the meeting, it was canceled on Wednesday due to Kosovo’s actions in closing parallel Serbian structures in several municipalities. Kosovo presented its priorities on the issue, but the Serbian side boycotted the meeting.
The European Union continues to insist that the matter be handled within the dialogue framework, but during a recent press conference, the EU spokesperson did not specify what should be considered a “constructive dialogue.”
On Friday, the Serbian List sent a letter to the EU, OSCE, and UNMIK head requesting an immediate response against Kosovo’s actions to close Serbian structures.
Among those criticizing Kosovo’s actions is the U.S., with representatives warning of an agreement on a strategic dialogue in key areas. They stated that uncoordinated actions weaken trust in relations and limit the U.S.’s ability to help Kosovo’s aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration.
Serwer described the EU’s difficulty in addressing the issues, adding that the recent tour of U.S. officials in the Balkans aimed at unblocking the Brussels dialogue.
“I am sure that the Americans in the Biden administration hope to use the Strategic Dialogue to thaw the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. It is still unclear whether the next administration will follow this approach,” Serwer stated.
He added that the other effort was to relax relations between Kosovo and the U.S.
“I think this is an attempt to ease the friction that has developed between Kosovo and the U.S. For me, the main strategic question is how to strengthen and guarantee Kosovo’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including recognition by the five EU countries and Belgrade,” Serwer said.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Richard R. Verma, who visited three Western Balkan countries last week, stated that Kosovo and Serbia must work toward normalization through EU mechanisms.
