Hooper hits Kurti: He's a nationalist and a provincial, he doesn't know international relations

SManalysis

April 12, 2020
Kosovo-Serbia agreement, could be finalized before the US election

Hooper: In the Kosovo-Serbia agreement has territorial components



Former US State Department Official, James Hooper, stated that the aim is to end the Kosovo-Serbia conflict, and if this does not happen, the danger for Kosovo is that it can lose the US Military shield.

Former US State Department official James Hooper says the US administration is aiming for a comprehensive agreement between Kosovo and Serbia and was unhappy with the approach of the government of Kosovo's incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Hooper said he thought Kurti was a nationalist when asked about the territorial agreement on Kosovo.

"For the nationalists, and I think Mr. Kurti is a nationalist, if you define the issue that every inch of the territory is sacred and we do not give up on it, it means that you will not have an agreement, you will not have a new relationship. with Serbia, you will not have a comprehensive agreement that puts an end to the conflict and puts an end to the threat posed by Serbia to Kosovo. "Kosovo is not a threat to Serbia, but Serbia is a military threat to Kosovo," Hooper told VOA.


He has said he is concerned about Albin Kurti's way of thinking, calling it provincial thinking.

"What worries me is that some political leaders, and I don't want to be pejorative, I don't want to be negative, but I think Mr. Kurti's way of thinking reflects provincialism, it reflects a lack of understanding of how things work internationally. "Again, what is in the comprehensive agreement is an understanding between Mr Thaci and Mr Vucic that it will end the conflict with Serbia."

The former US State Department official also said there was no Kosovo-Serbia agreement that could include an exchange of territories, adding that dialogue could be finalized before the US election if incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Ramush Haradinaj does not prevent this.

"You can expect an agreement before the US elections, if Mr. (Ramush) Haradinaj and Mr. Kurti do not block this. I think an agreement is in the hands. I think the lines have been drawn and the Serbian and Kosovo leaders understand that. Vucic is ready, he will make sure that happens. "Kosovo's leaders are not ready yet, they are not willing to do that, and that frustrates the Americans," said James Hooper.