German Chancellor Angela Merkel wishes that Belgrade and Pristina reach an agreement on comprehensive normalization of relations prior to “her political retirement” respectively by the end of her mandate in 2021, Danas daily reports citing diplomatic sources from Brussels.
The daily added, Chancellor Merkel would continue to advocate “with all her strength” for reaching a solution to the Kosovo issue in the months to come.
Danas interlocutor noted “it is normal to every politician to want to achieve something extraordinary” therefore Merkel would like to “crown” her reach career by giving “great contribution” to “untying of the Kosovo knot.” However, Merkel will not change her stance when it comes to redrawing the borders in the Western Balkans.
“German Chancellor is very interested to see a continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina negotiations. Given the rather mild interest of other western European stakeholders, in this topic, Merkel believes Germany has a clear responsibility to take care of reaching a solution to the Kosovo issue,” Danas interlocutor noted, adding that she still believes and supports the enlargement of the European Union as the most effective way to stabilize the Western Balkans.
However, neither Serbia nor Kosovo would be able to join the EU before reaching legally binding agreement, and here is the reason why she would continue to advocate at the both sides to find a solution that would be acceptable to all, Serbia, Kosovo and the EU.
Diplomatic circles speculate that official Berlin will not give up on advocating the model that would include Kosovo membership in the UN, while Belgrade would get in return the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities in Kosovo, Danas daily concluded.
