Peacemakers forever: Belarus eyes new mediator role for Kosovo and Serbia?
A Munich Security Conference session in Minsk, Belarus. This and other images in this story are from Reuters.
Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and Kosovo President Hashim Thaci exchanged emotional remarks over lunch during the Munich Security Conference core group’s meeting on 31 October in Minsk.
"Yes, we met with Mr Thaci. We spoke about the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and the challenges we are facing. I am hopeful we will arrive at some compromise and a deal which will result in a long-term stability and flourishing not only for Serbia but for the whole region.”
She hinted transparently that Belarus sympathizes with Serbia in its conflict with Kosovo. “We have received a lot of support at international organizations, and we know that Belarus is always on our side. It means a lot,” Ana Brnabic said.
Therefore, it is a huge question if Belarus can become a neutral venue for the talks between Serbia and Kosovo, especially since Hashima Thaci did not voice his take on that.
However, one of the participants who took part in the discussion on the ‘Minsk process’ to settle the conflict in eastern Ukraine was very optimistic. He insisted that a new ‘Minsk process’ began over lunch.
"This is the spirit of Minsk, and today it was hovering during lunch when we witnessed an open discussion between the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia."
Euroradio cannot name the speaker, because the discussions were run under the Chatham House Rule.
Belarus Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei was obviously happy with what he was observing.
"Do you know what I liked during the lunch discussion on the settlement of the Kosovo problem? The representatives of the both sides used the words dialogue, compromise, the need to find a compromise many times. I think just because of this alone the meeting was important as the sides showed readiness for a dialogue. Dialogue, as the Republic of Belarus understands it, is the only way to resolve all the problems."
The conflict between Serbs and Kosovars began in early 1990s when Kosovo’s independence was declared for the first time. Kosovo has only partial international recognition. Belarus does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state.
But today, being the host of the Munich Security Conference core group’s meeting, Minsk found a way out of this tricky situation. In the Russian version of the participants’ list, Hashim Thacim was indicated as “a political figure, Kosovo” In the English language version of the list, he was "President, Republic of Kosovo, Pristina." Belarus, a country of compromises, indeed!
