Political status of Kosovo

The UN Secretary-General's report on the work of UNMIK for the period 16 May 2019 to 15 September this year will be discussed at the session.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and US Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer, said in a testimony before the US Senate Foreign Affairs and Subcommittee on Europe and Co-operation on Regional Security that while the negotiations are blocked, the two sides are at risk of missing the best chance.

Kosovo authorities on Wednesday banned a football match from taking place in the disputed Serb-dominated north of the country between Serbian club Red Star and a local team, Trepca, which it does not recognise, after calling it a "serious provocation".

"I have the honor of addressing you as President of Serbia, the country of good and honest people. Last time I was here, it said that the situation in the world was worse in 2016. I would say it's no easier in 2019. I am a little scared, a little worried, but also a little happy that big countries have not mentioned us in their speeches", Vucic said.

In other words, Dacic explains, the number of those who recognize Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence falls to less than half of UN members.
Dacic told reporters last night that the Serbian delegation had talked to representatives of 53 member states in three days of the UN General Assembly and that in two more days, that number would exceed 100.

He said that it was based on a Hong Kong model.
He claims that it would be a compromise that would rule out all the extreme options and prove to be successful, sustainable and functional.

Johnson visited Belgrade and Pristina last week.
He told the Ukrainian Voice of America service that it is up to leaders in Belgrade and Pristina to decide whether they can reach an agreement.

The Special Representative

The news this week that veteran US diplomat Matthew Palmer had been appointed as his country's Special Representative for the Western Balkans has generated a great deal of excitement and expectation in the Balkans.

At first, Kosovo denied that these derecognitions had even occurred, with some arguing that such moves were not legally possible. However, as the number mounted up - the current tally of derecognitions claimed by Belgrade now lies at 15, the latest being the Togo, in late-August, the mood in Pristina has changed.

The five so-called 'Quint' countries - US, Britain, France, Germany and Italy - called on the Pristina and Belgrade governments on Tuesday to stop creating obstacles to the restart of the EU-mediated dialogue, which has been stalled since last year.