The United States also launched new initiatives to improve relations between Pristina and Belgrade, which culminated in September in a meeting in Washington, D.C, where agreements were signed in the economic and other fields, Tanin noted. “Of course, the most important preconditions for the success of the negotiations are political unity, strong commitment and goodwill among heads of state and government, both in Pristina and Belgrade, and sustained international support,” he stressed, also stressing the importance of women`s participation in the peace process at all levels, especially in the ongoing dialogue between the two sides. On the 22nd. In September 2020, the heads of the Chambers of Commerce of Kosovo and Serbia, Berat Rukiqi and Marko Cadez, signed a declaration on the establishment of a joint team dedicated to the implementation of the Agreement on economic normalization of Kosovo Serbia. [23] [9] September press release. 9, 2020, available from www.predsednik.rs/en/press-center/news/agreement-on-normalisation-of-economic-relations-signed-in-washington. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Kosovar Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti pledged to normalise economic relations on 4th September and signed an agreement in the presence of US President Donald Trump in Washington. However, questions such as what exactly has been signed, what consequences this agreement has for Belgrade and Pristina and how the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, which is being held in Brussels, has not been resolved. [5] Text available in www.new-perspektiva.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Washington-Agreement-Kosova-Serbia.pdf. Most importantly, the agreement is accompanied by several commitments aimed at maintaining Israel`s hegemony in West Asia and legitimizing its continued occupation of Palestine.
After the signing of the normalization agreement, Kosovo and Serbia agreed to recognize Jerusalem as Israel`s capital. Serbia has also promised to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the besieged city. Kosovo, meanwhile, said it would establish its Israeli mission in Jerusalem, and Israel recognized Kosovo almost immediately on the day the agreement was announced. [16] Toi Staff, Netanyahu: Kosovo will be the first Muslim-majority country to open the Jerusalem embassy, The Times of Israel (September 4, 2020), www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-kosovo-to-be-first-muslim-majority-nation-to-open-jerusalem-embassy/. [8] Agata Palickova, “15 countries, and there are more and more, are revoking the recognition of Kosovo,” says Serbia, EURACTIV (27 August 2019), www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/15-countries-and-counting-revoke-recognition-of-kosovo-serbia-says/. The two sides agreed to continue work on previous agreements to restore air and rail links signed earlier this year and to start construction of new roads and connecting highways. On September 15, 2020, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and the U.S. Export-Import Bank signed expressions of interest with the governments of Kosovo and Serbia to finance the construction of a “highway of peace” between Nis and Pristina. [21] [22] The representative of the United States stated that a presentation by the European Union Special Representative could have made this meeting more satisfactory. The agreements signed at the White House on September 4 covered a number of economic normalization issues.
“They will bring growth, investment and jobs to the citizens of both countries, setting a new tone of reconciliation in the pursuit of progress for the Western Balkans,” she said. The full normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina remains a common goal, as well as for the United States and the European Union. The agreements negotiated by the United States complement the talks supported by the European Union. UNMIK`s role as a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo and the region has long since exceeded its original objective. The Security Council now has a responsibility to redirect scarce peacekeeping resources to areas and issues where they are more urgent. She called on the members of the Council to give serious thought to the transition of UNMIK and to take the necessary steps to reduce it responsibly. On 4 September 2020, Kosovar Prime Minister Hoti and Serbian President Vučić signed and submitted them separately to the United States. President Trump introduced a document called “Economic Normalization,” dubbed the “Washington Accord.” [1] The Trump administration hailed the Washington agreement as a historic commitment and a “major breakthrough” in Kosovo-Serbia relations. [2] This overview examines the content and legal nature of the Washington Agreement, as well as subsequent political developments and implications of the agreement for the future relationship between Kosovo and Serbia. For countries like Kosovo, which are still suffering from the consequences of past conflicts, the highest priority must be given to cooperation, unity of political voice and vision, dialogue and the prevention of extreme polarization. This solidarity, especially during the current pandemic, should focus intensely on achieving the difficult balance between public health, economic recovery and human rights. In the same spirit, the leaders of both sides should move resolutely towards a comprehensive agreement, long-term peace and reconciliation.
However, some public reactions to these more high-profile accusations have been worrying, including attempts to question the legitimacy of the professional chambers and allegations that they are politically motivated. The Specialized Chambers and the Office of the Special Prosecutor are an integral part of kosovo`s judicial system and have mandates that are essential to the rule of law and its future. The government of Mr. Hoti, which is governed by a narrow majority, faces significant parliamentary opposition as well as widely divergent priorities among coalition partners. With just over 100 days in office, constant disagreements between the constituent parties and difficulties in reaching compromises have hampered and delayed their reactions in critical areas. The representative of Vietnam, together with other speakers, welcomed the resumption of talks between Belgrade and Pristina and the recent agreement on the normalization of economic relations. However, he regretted the continued lack of implementation on the ground and called on both sides to take confidence-building measures to achieve a lasting negotiated solution. The key element of a treaty is the intention to create obligations under international law.
A treaty differs from a political obligation in that it does not express the intention to create obligations under international law. [11] The intention to create legal obligations must result from the terms of the agreement itself and the circumstances of its conclusion. [12] The International Court of Justice has confirmed that an exchange of letters may constitute a contract, even if one of the parties subsequently claims that it does not intend to create legal obligations. [13] Legally binding obligations can also take the form of agreements negotiated by third parties, such as.B. the Algiers Agreements between the United States and Iran negotiated by the Algerian government. [14] However, political commitments are useful when parties are interested in cooperating but are unwilling to make binding commitments due to political sensitivities or other reasons. With regard to the Washington Agreement, it is unlikely that the United States intended to make legal commitments, or that Serbia would have intended to implicitly recognize Kosovo as a State by concluding a treaty that would include Kosovo as a party. Moreover, neither Kosovo nor Serbia has ratified the Washington Agreement or otherwise subjected it to domestic adoption procedures, nor have they made it officially available to the public. “I think this is some kind of declaration of intent or political commitment to this government, not the next one. We`ll see if Biden insists on the Grenell-sponsored deal. However, there are points that will interest him or `his people` and reflect broader, long-term US interests – in the area of energy security (diversification, less dependence on Russia) and cybersecurity (5G technology, less dependence on China),” Savković said.
adding that it is not clear how this will be implemented. and that`s why he thinks we should wait until November. “Dialogue is the only real way to achieve a lasting solution to the Kosovo issue,” he said. He thanked the U.S. government for its efforts to facilitate an agreement on economic normalization and said such measures were essential to improve daily life throughout the region. However, Pristina has already begun to violate this agreement. “It is high time they started acting seriously and responsibly,” he stressed. Noting that ethnic Serbs in Kosovo continue to be attacked and intimidated – with hatred spreading on social media – he expressed concern that these incidents continue despite numerous direct appeals to local authorities – and even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. While participating in negotiations with the United States on economic issues, Kosovo and Serbia continued to participate in a parallel dialogue led by the European Union, which focused on political disagreements between the two sides. [10] With the signing of the Washington Agreement, Kosovo committed to join the “Mini Schengen” project, which is an important moment for its further implementation. .