Germany will not ask Belgrade to officially recognize Kosovo's independence, but it recalls the model of "Two Germanys", assess Franz-Lothar Altmann, professor of the University of Bucharest ahead of the meeting of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Belgrade based daily Blic reports.
Washington supports independent and sovereign Kosovo within existing borders, and EU mediation in resolving the issues. However, in order to strengthen Kosovo sovereignty, USA wants Kosovo to join the UN, and when conditions are met an EU as well.
This is according to American expert for the Balkans, Daniel Serwer. He further told Blic daily Washington wants full normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations, which implies mutual recognitions and the exchange of ambassadors.
According to political analyst Dusan Janjic, arrest of Marko Djuric was security-political trigger that sped up existing preparations for negotiations in a new format, Tanjug news agency reported.
He expects this new format would include two observers, one from the USA and the other from Germany. He also added that new format in fact means more intensive talks, prepared by political negotiators, and to be “completed by presidents in several meetings.”
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic denied allegations that a German delegation with a proposal for a legally binding agreement on Kosovo will arrive to Serbia, N1 broadcaster reports.
"It's nonsense, nobody comes," Dacic told the Belgrade based daily Politika.
Srpska Lista is against an initiative to revoke the Special Court and the stance of Serb political representatives about it is clear and unequivocal Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Communities and Returns, Dalibor Jevtic told representatives of French-German delegation visiting Kosovo, Serbian media reported.
Jevtic met yesterday the Germany's Envoy for South-Eastern Europe, Turkey and the EFTA States, Christian Hellbach, and the Head of the French Foreign Ministry's Western Balkans Department, Thomas Bertin.
German and French envoys are adding to diplomatic pressure on Kosovo not to try to stop the new Specialist Chambers – which will try former Kosovo guerrillas – from coming into operation.
A joint German-French delegation met Kosovo officials on Wednesday to voice concern about recent failed attempts by Kosovo MPs to revoke the law establishing the Special Court, set up to try Kosovo Albanian war crimes.
By: Marcus Tanner
An enfeebled Angela Merkel means a weaker, less courageous Germany – which will not do any of the Balkan states hoping to join the EU any favours.
Like Britain’s Theresa May, Angela Merkel has come out of her general election looking a lot weaker than when she went in.
Weeks ago, the talk was only of how massive her new majority would be. Now, like Mrs May, she is back in office but not really in power.
The EP rapporteur for Serbia welcomed the initiative to launch an internal dialogue on Kosovo and added that Serbia's constructive approach is highly appreciated in Brussels, KIM radio reported McAllister’s statement to the daily newspapers Blic.
"Yes, I welcome the initiative of President Aleksandar Vučić to launch a domestic dialogue on this issue," David McAllister told daily Blic.
Belgrade based daily Danas writes today, based on unofficial diplomatic sources, that the United States and Germany are considering who will be their envoys in the next phase of the Brussels dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and that it is expected that the decision on their names would be made and disclosed in a month time.
DW in Serbian language reported that Bundestag extended the mandate of the Bundeswehr in Kosovo for one more year, but representatives of all political parties condemned mentioning of “Greater Albania.”
As article further said the concern was expressed over the possibility that Ramush Haradinaj could become new Kosovo Prime Minister.