Leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to meet as they pull back from brink of conflict

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On July 30-31, 2022, a new conflict almost broke out in the Balkans between Serbia and the partially recognized Kosovo. The confrontation between Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo has been going on for several centuries. During this time, both sides engaged in ethnic cleansing and mass murder.

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The last large-scale conflict occurred in Kosovo in the 1990s, during the breakup of Yugoslavia. It was only stopped by the intervention of the UN and NATO. Peacekeepers and the international administration appeared in Kosovo, and war criminals from both sides were sent to the tribunal.

The world community decided for a long time what to do with Kosovo until it was agreed that this problem has a unique character and the only adequate solution can only be the recognition of the independence of the region. In 2008, Kosovo declared its independence, but not even all members of the European Union and NATO recognized it. And Serbia still considers Kosovo its territory, although it does not actually control it. Now the Kremlin is trying to speculate on this — it compares Kosovo with the "LNR" and "DNR". But even the Serbian authorities donʼt like it. "Babel" tells the story of the Serbian-Albanian conflict in Kosovo and explains why the independence of this region has nothing to do with the fake republics in the Ukrainian Donbas.

History of the Serbian-Albanian conflict in Kosovo

Until the middle of the 15th century, until Serbia was finally conquered by the Ottoman Empire, Kosovo was the center of the Serbian kingdom. Albanians began to populate the territory of Kosovo en masse from the end of the 17th century. At that time, these lands were devastated by the wars that the Serbs, with the support of Austria, waged against the Ottoman Empire. After several defeats, the Serbs had to flee beyond the Danube to the territory controlled by Austria.

The number of Albanians in Kosovo gradually increased. By the middle of the 19th century, it had already exceeded 50 percent. And by the end of the century, the Albanian national movement for autonomy and even independence from Turkey intensified in Kosovo.

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Serbia and Kosovo agreed to meet in Brussels on Aug. 18 in order to discuss a flare-up of tensions between the neighbouring western Balkan nations, the European Union's executive said on Friday.l

"The aim of the upcoming meeting ... in Brussels is to move the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade for this is something that is very much needed at the highest level," European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano told a news briefing.

The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo have agreed to meet in Brussels this month to discuss ways to end the stalemate in European Union-brokered talks aimed at improving relations between them as ethnic tensions simmer, a European Commission spokesman said Friday.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell hopes to hold talks with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in the same room, rather than shuttling between them as has been the case in the past, on August 18, Borrell’s spokesman Peter Stano told reporters.

The EU-backed Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, which is aimed at normalizing relations between the neighbors and former foes, has been at a virtual standstill for years and the leaders appear to agree on very little.

But Stano said: “Hey. We have an agreement. They agreed on the date and they agreed on the time.”

He described the meeting as “a very important step,” which provides “another opportunity to try to move all the other issues forward.”

Both countries are striving to join the 27-nation bloc, and success in the EU-backed talks is vital to their chances.

Kosovo was part of Serbia until an armed uprising in 1998-1999 by the territory’s ethnic Albanian majority triggered a bloody crackdown by the Serbs. NATO later bombed Serbia to force its troops out of Kosovo and halt a campaign of ethnic cleansing.

In 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence but Serbia refuses to recognize the move.

On Monday, Kosovo authorities moved to ease mounting ethnic tensions in the country by delaying a controversial order on vehicle license plates and identity cards that triggered riots by minority Serbs, who put up roadblocks, sounded air raid sirens and fired guns into the air.

The NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo warned that it was “prepared to intervene if stability is jeopardized” and that it would “take whatever measures are necessary to keep a safe and secure environment in Kosovo at all times, in line with its UN mandate.”
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