PRISTINA – The Prime Minister of Kosovo Avdullah Hoti said that the role of the European Union and the United States of America in the process of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is complementary, N1 reported.
In an interview for Radio Free Europe, Hoti stressed that Kosovo needs the full support of the EU and a strong commitment from the US to reach and implement the agreement.
“You can’t do without each other,” Hoti said.
He reminded that the EU has now appointed an envoy for dialogue, Miroslav Lajčak, and the EU High Representative Josep Borell has clear guidelines from the European Commission for improving this process.
“There is great attention from key EU countries, Germany and France, to the dialogue process and it is important that Washington is very focused on ending the open issues between Kosovo and Serbia forever. We have just for the process to be clarified in the coming days, which will take place,” Hoti told.
Hoti stated that Kosovo is ready for dialogue and that the government led by the abolition of reciprocal trade measures with Serbia on 6 June complied with the demands of international partners in order to give a chance to dialogue.
“We are entering the dialogue process clear as far as the principles and goals of the dialogue process are concerned. I do not have the mandate to conduct a dialogue on issues concerning the territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo. That is clear,” Hoti said.
According to Hoti, Kosovo has three principles in the dialogue, not to negotiate its territorial integrity, not to negotiate the constitutional organization of the state and that the agreement, which will contribute to the reciprocal recognition of Kosovo and Serbia, must be in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo.
Hoti said that for Kosovo, the compromise in the dialogue is “acceptance to sit at the table in order to normalize relations”.
“It is a compromise we are making. All the compromises we have made ended on 17 February 2008, with the Ahtisaari plan, on the basis of which Kosovo’s independence was declared, with the constitutional arrangements in force in the state of Kosovo today,” Hoti concluded.