Editorial
The EU and peace in the Balkans The governments of Serbia and Kosovo have taken the first step on the path towards normalisation. Serbs and Kosovo Albanians can now start searching for a way out of the historical and political impasse in the relations between their two states. The European Union has done everything right; but it must continue to provide guidance along the long and difficult path towards peace and stability in the region. During talks facilitated by the High Representative for the CFSP, Lady Ashton, the Union showed that it can still play the role of peacemaker. The credit goes to Lady Ashton, whose offer of future membership prospects for Serbia and an Association Agreement for Kosovo proved to be a weighty incentive. In practice, then, Belgrade is renouncing sovereignty over its “province” in an act of political farsightedness that paves the way for the opening of EU accession talks.
Overcoming nationalism Before the negotiations can start, however, Serbs and Kosovars must prove on a day-to-day basis that they are serious about normalisation and reconciliation. This will not be easy, because the main aim of the 13-point programme will be to dismantle the Serb parallel structures in Kosovo and to integrate the country’s Serb communities into Kosovo while allowing them a high degree of autonomy. The onus is now on Belgrade and Pristina: there is a lot of psychological resistance to be overcome on both sides. But at least both governments are showing the willingness to turn this page of their history. But the EU too has a lot of work on its plate. The talks on an
Association Agreement with Kosovo need to be launched, although several EU member states have still not recognised the government in Pristina. Clearly a number of internal issues have not been settled that should have been.
Hartmut Bühl
The EU as a provider of security Peace for this region and for Kosovo in particular now seems closer than ever before. NATO, which still has 6 000 troops stationed there under the KFOR flag, may well find itself with a second mission to accomplish. But it could also transfer that task to the European Union. It would certainly make sense for the political process of integration and stabilisation and the military presence needed to guarantee it to be placed under a single authority. The EU has the necessary instruments at its disposal; serious thought should therefore be given to its assuming, in the medium term, the overall responsibility for this region of such crucial historical and political importance located right on its doorstep. For the moment the KFOR troops are stationed in Kosovo. Their presence serves both to guarantee the protection of the Kosovars against their northern neighbours and to reassure the Serb minority, which would be very reluctant to see the Kosovar security forces suddenly becoming the sole military presence in Mitrovica.
Hartmut Bühl, Editor-in-Chief
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Publisher and Editor-in-Chief: Hartmut Bühl, Brussels Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Nannette Cazaubon, Paris; E-Mail: nannette.b@gmx.net Publishing House: ProPress Verlagsgesellschaft mbH President ProPress Publishing Group: R. Uwe Proll Layout: SpreeService- und Beratungsgesellschaft mbH, Berlin Print: Heider Druck GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach The European − Security and Defence Union Magazine is published by the ProPress Publishing Group. The ProPress Publishing Group is the organizer of the congress on European Security and Defence (Berlin Security Conference), the European Police Congress and the European Congress on Disaster Management. For further information about the magazine and the congresses please visit www.magazine-the-european.com Subscription: This magazine is published in Brussels and Berlin. The copy price is 16 Euro: 3 copies for one year: 42 Euro (EU subscription) 3 copies for one year: 66 Euro (International subscription) including postage and dispatch (3 issues) © 2013 by ProPress Publishing Group Bonn/Berlin ProPress Publishing Group is the holding of the trade mark BEHOERDEN SPIEGEL.
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