Stuart Peach: Neither Serbia Nor Kosovo Should Consider Implementation of Existing Agreements as Concessions

Stuart Peach (BETAPHOTO/AMIR HAMZAGIC)

British Special Envoy to the Western Balkans Stuart Peach said that neither Kosovo nor Serbia should consider implementation of the existing agreements as concessions or threats to their respective positions, but rather as a constructive and credible role in their dialogue.

Peach said in an interview with the Kurir daily published on Jan. 18 that both sides should meet the commitments they had accepted during the Dialogue, adding that the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities was one of them. “Kosovo and Serbia alike should meet the commitments accepted during the Dialogue. The Community of Serb Municipalities is one of such elements, but it should not hinder the implementation of others either. What the Community will look like once installed is the question for the parties to the Dialogue,” the British envoy explained.

Peach said he expected a comprehensive, final and legally binding agreement to normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo as “two neighboring countries,” underlining that both sides had a duty to their citizens to continue the talks and work on practical steps towards the normalization of relations.

“The most important thing is that the agreement must be acceptable for the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia, and have inherent long-term benefits for them and the region at large. It is up to the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to agree upon the precise format and content of the agreement,” the British diplomat said, adding that a sustainable agreement required “political will and courage.”