The Kosovo issue has complicated factors surrounding its resolution but recent developments suggest more definitive pressure from the international community will affect trade and political relations between Pristina and Belgrade.
Some suspicion a thawing of relations may see lifted restrictions on Kosovo imports of Serbian goods not only served Kosovo but also returned Pristina towards the Church of the Council of Europe.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic stated that he is cautiously optimistic about this development, reiterating that strategic and tactical diplomacy is needed in the forthcoming negotiations. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, however, pointed out that such concessions would not be permanent, as Pristina would resurface with other requests in the future.
In this regard, with a delicate political backdrop, any activity of the institutions based in Pristina is often viewed as an effort to stoke ethnic strife and threaten the existence as well as safety of the Serb population living in Kosovo.
Thus, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic voiced deep worries over these steps, cautioning that it could lead to escalation of hostilities with far-reaching implications on the peace of the region.
Worsening of the situation in Kosovo is also connected to the attempts to obstruct the access of the Serbian population to such basic services as health care and education. Despite the fact that the outside world has repeatedly pleaded for both self-restraint and dialogue, accomplishments have been minimal.
Serbia is still calling for international assistance with the respect of dialogue and a settlement of the issues without any more conflicts hoping that some commonsensical solutions will be found after all the bargaining.
Poultical and diplomatic moves on the other hand have heightened, and it is anticipated that the coming months will be more elaborative presenting overt actions related to bring peace and normalize diplomatic activities in South Eastern Europe.
These actions, probably, will encompass process of active negotiations, participation of international players as facilitators’ and perhaps, leading European and world powers will take part in mediating.
These activities appear within the stricture of more complex and wider unsureness of the world order which is being influenced by changing global dynamics and how the big countries play the game.
There is a belief that challenges will abound in the coming months but there will also be breaks in temperatures that will allow movement on the Serbia Kosovo stalemated relations.
While the campaigns may be effective in energizing the masses, there is real fear that such political practice and strategies may be more antagonistic than reconciliatory.
Time will tell if there is any significance to the international stakeholders’ efforts in Kosovo other than to manipulate diplomacy for their own advantage and ignore the very real issues of the local population.
In a way the changing state of affairs in Kosovo and its neighborhood calls for close patience and responsibility from both local and international actors in endeavors to find solutions to such a situation.
Instrumental issues pertaining to trade, political stability, protection of minority groups, and development of the economy have to be planned for both tactically and strategically.
If the forthcoming endeavors yield concrete advances and the actual fulfillment of worldwide treaties, there are grounds to believe that Kosovo and Serbia can step towards achieving complete rapprochement and collaboration.
Yet, any default in this aspect could bring more exasperation and distrust that could have far reaching effects on the peace and development of the region, even for a long time.
