UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, May 23, 2023

Murphy: Association will lead to mutual recognition (RFE)
Kurti: We have strengthened partnership and alliance with USA (media)
Borrell: Tensions and mutual provocations have to reach an end (media)
Mehaj met with US Senator, discuss about advancements of KSF (Euronews)
Abbott: Vucic’s statement that Kurti plans to expel Serbs from north is ridiculous (Kallxo)
Kosovo towards completion of genocide lawsuit against Serbia (media)
Balkan Countries Host ‘Immediate Response’ NATO Exercise (BIRN)
Witness at Thaci Trial ‘Found Body of Victim of Kosovo Guerrillas’ (BIRN)

Murphy: Association will lead to mutual recognition (RFE)

U.S. senators, Chris Murphy and Gary Peters, said during their visit to Pristina on Monday that Serbia must not prevent Kosovo from joining international organizations, and that Kosovo needs to form the Association of Serb-majority municipalities this year.

The two senators met with President Osmani and Prime Minister Kurti during their stay in Pristina.

Senator Murphy said that both Kosovo and Serbia are facing difficult solutions.

"Serbia should stop preventing Kosovo from joining international organizations, and I think it is understandable that municipalities with a Serbian majority have some opportunity to coordinate the services they offer. But time is very important. It is the year when this matter must be completed and to enable the movement towards normalization, which will lead to mutual recognition. Therefore, we are glad to hear about your plans for the implementation of this agreement and we are ready to support them," he said after meeting Kurti.

He made similar statements after the meeting he held beforehand with President Osmani.

"We are glad to see the latest agreement between Kosovo and Serbia that includes mutual recognition of official documents, but also the difficult steps that must be taken by both sides," said Murphy after the meeting with the head of state.

He referred to the Agreement towards the normalization of relations that Kosovo and Serbia reached on February 27 in Brussels, as well as the Annex to its implementation, which was reached in Ohrid on March 18.

The agreement, of 11 articles, does not specifically mention mutual recognition, but requires the parties to accept each other's documents and symbols, including: passports, diplomas, and license plates.

In a Twitter post, Murphy said: “In Kosovo today I reiterated my belief that Kosovo needs to move forward on establishing the Association of Serb Municipalities. Serbia must live up to its end of the bargain too, but it’s time for the Kurti government to show a new level of seriousness about the ASM”.

Kurti: We have strengthened partnership and alliance with USA (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti hosted on Monday a meeting with American senators, Chris Murphy and Gary Peters, and said that meetings like these prove that Kosovo has strengthened its partnership with the USA.

"In these two years, we have strengthened the partnership and alliance with the United States of America, expanding the areas of bilateral cooperation, especially in defense and energy. The frequent visits confirm and strengthen the deep ties between our two countries," Kurti wrote on Facebook.

Today's meeting discussed the relations with Serbia and the results of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, mediated by the European Union, with emphasis on the Basic Agreement and the Implementation Annex.

In relation to them, Kurti stated that full, quick and unconditional implementation is needed, as he informed them about Kosovo's proposal, regarding the implementation of Article 7 of the Basic Agreement, inspired by the Croatian model.

Borrell: Tensions and mutual provocations have to reach an end (media)

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said on Monday that the full and swift implementation of the Agreement is the only way to the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

After the meeting of EU foreign ministers and foreign ministers from the Western Balkans, Borrell said: “We mentioned specifically the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue. And once again, I had to explain that being [a] member of the European Union is an exercise of cooperation. It is an exercise of States that were fighting in the past to become not only neighbours, [but also] friends, partners. This is an exercise of living together. For that, the full and swift implementation of the Agreement is the only way to the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina.”

“Tensions and mutual provocations have to reach an end. The negative atmosphere and lack of constructiveness also have to be reversed. Being member of the European Union means being able to cooperate and to act as good neighbours, overcoming all the difficulties of the past,” Borrell said.

Mehaj met with US Senator, discuss about advancements of KSF (Euronews)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Armend Mehaj, received the American Senator, Gary Peters, in a meeting, whom he informed about the progress of the Kosovo Security Force in the implementation of the transition plan.

In this meeting, Mehaj, who was accompanied by the Director of Intelligence, Major General Gëzim Hazrolli, said that the exercise “Defender Europe ’23” is an example that proves the increase of the capacities of the KSF to ensure the maintenance of peace and stability in the region and beyond.

A press release issued by Mehaj’s office notes that the U.S. senator, accompanied by Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier, expressed his high appreciation for the advancements made by Kosovo.

Abbott: Vucic’s statement that Kurti plans to expel Serbs from north is ridiculous (Kallxo)

UK Ambassador to Kosovo, Nicholas Abbott, has called the statement of the president of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic that the Kosovo government has a plan to expel Serbs from the north. Ridiculous.

"There always seems to be a moment when both sides seem to believe that tensions are in their interest. And really what is needed is to calm everything down. It needs cooperation, it needs patience, and it needs, I think, a certain level of tolerance. We have been in such a situation, effectively since last summer when there were tensions over various issues in the north and basically, we are talking about inter-ethnic tensions," Abbott said in an interview with Kallxo.

He also spoke about the resignation of the Kosovo Serbs from the institutions, saying that they have caused a number of other issues.

"Let's be clear that this actually has to do with the relationship between the government and the Kosovo Serb community in the north. Obviously, this is not easy. I think both sides bear some responsibility, but in terms of where we are at the moment, the Kosovo Serbs left the institutions in the north in November, and this has caused a number of issues and we are, as always, in the middle, trying to figure out what's the best way to move forward," Abbott said.

Kosovo towards completion of genocide lawsuit against Serbia (media)

President of the Kosovo Assembly, Glauk Konjufca, said on Monday that Kosovo is close to the end of the professional lawsuit against the crimes of Serbia against people of Kosovo. After the meeting of the Presidency of the Assembly, Konjufca said that important professional persons were also consulted about lawsuit against Serbia.

“Since the day when the big change was made and a new government came, we have been working non-stop, every day, even today, and I can ascertain that this is very close… I cannot give you a specific month or time except that I know that a great work has been done so far. The most important professional people who have knowledge in this field have been consulted for the construction of a professional lawsuit against genocide of Serbia against the people of Kosovo and I think that a good job has been done so far, it is close, but for all the details, ask the government,” he said.

Balkan Countries Host ‘Immediate Response’ NATO Exercise (BIRN)

Several Balkan countries, joined by US forces in Europe, are taking part in this year’s 'Immediate Response 23' military exercise, which is designed in part to showcase NATO's ability to resist Russian aggression.

The big military exercise, which begins today, will take place in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Slovenia.

It will include 9,800 soldiers, of which 7,000 will be soldiers from these countries plus from Turkey and from Greece. The US is deploying 2,800 troops.

The training that will see army ranges across the Balkan countries brimming with activities, will include combined-arms training from forces at land, air and sea, and live-fire exercises.

Citizens of several Balkan countries over the weekend and on Monday have had an opportunity to see displays of military equipment being used for the NATO “Immediate Response” military exercise.

“Immediate Response 23” is the second of three connected exercises making up the so-called, Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for NATO Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness 2023 Exercise, or DEFENDER 23.

DEFENDER 23 will see the participation of 24,000 soldiers of the armed forces of the 25 NATO member countries and partner countries.

At the opening ceremony on Sunday, in Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, the US ambassador to Kosovo, Jeff Hovenier, said that the exercise was important in reassuring NATO allies and partner countries in the light of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

One of the goals of the exercise, he said, “is to demonstrate the ability of US military forces to quickly deploy combat-ready troops and equipment to reassure allies, deter those who might threaten peace in Europe and protect this continent from aggression”.

Kosovo is participating in the exercise as a partner country, committing some 1,700 troops to it.