Former High Representatives to Bosnia call on Mogherini to abandon plans to transfer territory between Serbia and Kosovo
Three former High Representative’s for Bosnia and Herzegovina: Carl Bildt, Paddy Ashdown, and Christian Schwarz-Schilling have written an open letter to Federica Mogherini and the Foreign Ministers of EU Member States on the Correction of Borders between Serbia and Kosovo.
The letter underlines “deep concern” about suggestions made by EU officials that they may be willing to support agreement between Presidents Vucic and Thaci that involves the transfer of territory between Serbia and Kosovo through “border corrections”.
The three experts fear that moving borders in the region like this “will not solve divisions, it will deepen them”.
In the letter Paddy Ashdown, Carl Bildt, and Christian Schwarz-Schilling state:
“We know Bosnia and Herzegovina well enough to know that this will give comfort and support to those who would break up the country, who are already calling for a return to the status quo ante in Dayton, unravelling all we and our Bosnian partners have worked for over more than two decades.
“We know the EU and Europe well enough to know that our principles and our bloody history teach us that sustainable peace can only come when we learn to live in multi-ethnic communities, rather than re-drawing borders to create mono-ethnic ones;
“We can in short, think of no policy more likely to lead us back to division and conflict in the Balkans than the one which some are apparently now supporting.”
ENDS
For media contact:
Paddy Ashdown – HYPERLINK “mailto:paddyashdown1@me.com” paddyashdown1@me.com – 01935 882000 – 07946-272173
Carl Bildt – HYPERLINK “mailto:carlbildt@me.com” carlbildt@me.com
Christian Schwarz-Schilling – HYPERLINK “mailto:css@schwarz-schilling.de” css@schwarz-schilling.de –00496042964441 –
00493040006510
Notes to editor:
The letter was sent as defence ministers meet for an informal meeting to discuss the matter later today HYPERLINK “https://foreignbrief.com/daily-news/eu-defence-ministers-convene-to-discuss-west-balkan-security-and-accession/” here
Letter in full:
Her Excellency Federica Mogherini
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy;
cc: Secretariat of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union
August 29, 2018
An Open Letter to Federica Mogherini and the Foreign Ministers of EU Member States on the Correction of Borders between Serbia and Kosovo.
As former High Representatives for Bosnia and Herzegovina, we are deeply concerned by announcements made recently by high level officials of the European Union, suggesting that the EU may be willing to support an agreement between Presidents Vucic and Thaci that involves the transfer of territory between Serbia and Kosovo through “border corrections”.
We know the region well enough to know that moving borders like this will not solve divisions, it will deepen them;
And although there can be no comparison between the case of Kosovo and the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we know the western Balkans well enough to know that such a policy would be misused by nationalist politicians to further challenge borders and destabilize other countries in the region.
We know Bosnia and Herzegovina well enough to know that this will give comfort and support to those who would break up the country, who are already calling for a return to the status quo ante in Dayton, unraveling all we and our Bosnian partners have worked for over more than two decades;
We know the EU and Europe well enough to know that our principles and our bloody history teach us that sustainable peace can only come when we learn to live in multi-ethnic communities, rather than re-drawing borders to create mono-ethnic ones;
We can in short, think of no policy more likely to lead us back to division and conflict in the Balkans than the one which some are apparently now supporting.
We have little doubt that this risks destabilising current agreements, such as in Macedonia, undermining the unity of states such as Bosnia, encouraging those who wish to see exchange of territory elsewhere, such as in Ukraine and is likely to lead to the exodus of minorities from their existing communities.
We therefore urge you to ensure that these proposals are dropped without delay.
Yours etc
Carl Bildt,
High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina 1995-1997
Paddy Ashdown,
High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2002-2006
Christian Schwarz-Schilling,
High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2006-2007