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Grand Master Dr. Jorgji KOTE « dots the « I’s» and crosses the “t’s » on 4 major events in only 1000 words
1.Ohrid fails in North, Strasburg and in New York! Three important “ acid tests” related to the Agreement between Serbia and Kosovo of 18 March took place during in Ohrid. But it “stucked in the mud”, against the albanian saying “ a good beginning is half of the work done” In the partial local elections on 24 April in 4 communes with Serbian majority in Northern Kosovo only the record of the turnout was broken, with less than 3 per cent. The Serbian List and another political party abstained, in response to the appeal by President Vuçiç. It seemed not as if they had agreed, but as if they were hostilized more in Ohrid! Allegedly because the Association of communes with Serbian majority is not yet in place; as if this could be done overnight and with a stroke of pen!
Then, the next day in Strasbourg, the Committee of Ministers agreed to pass Kosovo’s application for membership to the Council of Europe. Although in Ohrid they agreed that Serbia would not prevent its accession to international organizations, Belgrade did the opposite. Moreover, besides voting against Kosovo, it cursed all other countries, including Montenegro that voted pro Kosovo. Belgrade did also attack the USA and the EU, reminding them that it will implement only those aspects of Ohrid Agreement that come to its liking, since the said deal there was selective and according to Belgrade’s mood!
Then, on 27 April, they met in the UN Glass Palace in New York, not to talk but in a battle of sharp words and attacks. Dacic, the Chief Serbian diplomat stated openly that Serbia will never recognize Kosovo and even less to permit it be UN member. The tensed atmosphere there is the clearest defiance of all those 12 years of diplomatic demarches between Kosovo and Serbia!
These three failures revealed once again that the non-signed agreement in Ohrid is simply wishful thinking! It is a forced action by the USA and the EU, just to “cross the river” and to cover up the failure! Everything has started and continues to to proceed upside down, because the climate and the atmosphere there are poisoned and undermined! Therefore, one cannot expect even any modest positive move, let alone an historic event”.This is natural since our great allies continue be too kind with” Serbia, treating her as “ mothers’s son” whereas Pristina as “ stepmother’s son”, with its wrong appeasement policy, instead of holding Belgrade accountable, it is very hard to hope for any “breakthrough” or even smaller positive steps. On the opposite, the odds are that things will continue following Lenin’s slogan “ one step forward and two backward”; but now surprisingly facilitated by the West!
2. Lu Shaye missed the point ! This is the least one may say about the “ bomb” statements by the Chinese ambassador in Paris Lu Shaye on 23 April, when he did also shocked official Peking. He stated that the Baltic states do not have an effective status in international law, because there is no international agreement to materialize their own status as sovereign states.
Even worse, this statement was made just when President Macron was back in Paris from his visit in China and his controversial statement that Europe should not be a vassal of the USA and that it should have its own stance on China. Lu Shaye produced a true political tremour in Europe, USA, the Baltic countries, the former soviety republics and in Peking. True, he is known to be among these “ wolf worrier” diplomats, yet this time he trampled the red line with both his legs. Because, as the Chinese Foreign Ministry clarified, this issue is beyond any discussion, for China has recognized 30 years ago the new former soviet republics and has a good coperation with them in many areas. This was the proper thing to do by China although this may not be sufficient.
3.Peking revives hopes! Luckily enough, the echo of this serious diplomatic blunder vanished after the news that the Chinese President Xi Jinping talked over the phone on 26 April with his Ukrainian counterpart, V. Zelenski. A long and friendly conversation, which according to Zelenski and major world leaders revives the hopes for a possible peace in Ukraine. This is understandable given China’s major political, economic and military role, Permanent Member of UN Security Council and Russia’s main ally.
Morover, two months ago, China made known its 12 – point political document for Peace in Ukraine and after Xi’s visit in Moscow. In more concrete terms, it is positive that the Chinese President will appoint a Special Envoy, who will travel soon to Kiev to talk in more details on the Chinese Peace proposal. This is a much expected message which adds to the political reliability of Chine’s proposal. We wish that it would not remain just an expectation but it will make steps forward. We note this, because although Russia has welcomed the said Chinese proposal, instead of retreating a little while, it is stepping up its fightings in Ukraine; when it also states that it is in favour of peace there but only after it reaches its military targets in Ukraine and putting the blame on Kiev. Let us wait and see, the process would be long and difficult, so time will be the best judge!
4.Hill continues with his old tune! The US Ambassador in Belgrade, C. Hill is very fond of “ Open Balkans” although it is practically a closed chapter. Thus, in a meeting of the US Chamber of Commerce in Belgrade on 23 April, Hill took everyone aback by stating that there are all the 6 states in “ Open Balkans”! Seemingly, Hill forgets or neglects that after the latest meeting between the German Chancellor Scholz and PM Rama in Berlin where they announced that the next Summit of “ Berlin Process” would be held this autumn in Tirana, everything now speaks for the latter. Whereas “Open Balkans” remains an unuseful appendix, which complicates rather than facitates things! All these sorts of statements by US high representatives are intended to continue “ pet Belgrade on the shoulders” instead of telling it that “ enough is enough with Open Balkans, long live the Berlin Process now”!
© 2023 Argumentum
