U.S. Expert: French-German Plan Is Step in Right Direction

U.S. Professor Daniel Serwer (Photo: YouTube/PrintScreen)

U.S. Professor Daniel Serwer has assessed the latest version of the German-French plan on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia as a step in the right direction, if implemented fully, albeit with some suspicious additions and important elements missing.

Serwer, who is a professor at the Johns Hopkins University, stated in a Jan. 25 blog on peacefare.net that the latest version of the plan, which he had the opportunity to read, contained a little more details about the organization of the Serb community in Kosovo than before, and that the recognition of Kosovo by the remaining five EU countries and the issue of reciprocity for the Albanian community in Serbia were not discussed.

In his words, the EU and the U.S. will have to pressure both Belgrade and Pristina into making the necessary compromises. Pressure on Kosovo has been obvious for a long time. It is relatively easy to pressure a country that has no other option than to join with NATO and EU. Pressure against Serbia is far less intense, Serwer stated, adding that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had played a successful game, balancing between Russia and China on the one side, and the EU and U.S. on the other, but that the game might now be over.