Trump's adviser said that the agreement between Belgrade and Pristina on “territorial adjustments” does not cause Washington’s objections and can be supported by them.
“There are new signals that both governments may be secretly willing to negotiate about it. American policy is that if the two parties can agree among themselves and come to an agreement, then we do not exclude the possibility of territorial adjustments. Indeed, it is not our business to declare this, ”Bolton quotes Radio Free Europe.
“We will not interfere with the decision, and I do not think that someone in Europe will interfere if the two sides decide and find a solution that satisfies both parties. In those discussions that they have, we are ready to help closely or from afar, but I do not think that we will solve this issue, and we are not going to solve it - they have to solve it themselves. If Kosovo and Serbia reach agreements that will satisfy both sides, we will support them, ”quotes the words of the adviser to Trump RIA News.
Speech Bolton looks pretty strange. On the one hand, he somehow pointedly distanced himself from the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, repeating that what they are discussing is only their business, which they must "decide for themselves." On the other hand, Bolton makes it clear in which direction (“correction of boundaries”) contracting parties should move in order to get American support.
As it is known, the talks between Serbia and the representatives of the Albanian separatists of Kosovo are at an impasse. Recall that under the pressure of the West, Belgrade in 2011 entered negotiations with the structures that had seized the Serbian province with the help of NATO, and in April 2013 entered into the Brussels Agreement on the principles of normalizing Serbia’s relations and separatist education, consisting mainly of numerous concessions to the Serbian side.
And in August of 2015, an agreement was reached on the Community of Serb communities, which implies certain rights for places of compact residence of Serbs who have become a discriminated minority in their native land. However, neither one nor the other agreement was implemented by Pristina (the deadline given by Brussels for their implementation was August 4). That showed the absence of Brussels, acting as a guarantor and intermediary in this dialogue. opportunities and / or desires to achieve their fulfillment from Pristina.
These documents are extremely unpleasant and unpleasant for Belgrade, while at the same time their demands on Pristina are more than sparing. However, the separatists do not want to fulfill them, not wanting to limit themselves in anything, and to give the Serbs who remain in the province at least minimal guarantees. Albanian nationalists, in whose hands Kosovo and Metohija turned out to be, do not hide the fact that they see them as ethnically homogeneous.
So what kind of “dialogue” in the light of the above is Bolton talking about? And what about “territorial adjustments”, about which not a word is said in any of the agreements reached?
Recall that the Kosovo separatist leader Hashim Taci in August announced his intention to seek “border correction”, which, in his opinion, involves transferring three southern regions of Central Serbia to Pristina’s control with a certain percentage of the Albanian population - Presevo, Medvedzhi and Bujanovac.
He announced his intention to raise this issue during the upcoming September meeting in Brussels, 9, noting that he does not really hope for support in this matter from the EU. Adding that we are talking exclusively about the unilateral assignment of Belgrade, and the “adjustment of borders” cannot be a subject of bargaining, and the basis for the requirement to transfer the northern regions of Kosovo to Serbia, or even to grant them autonomy.
In turn, Serbian President Alexander Vucic speaks of the need for Serbian-Albanian “demarcation” in Kosovo itself. He does not elaborate on the meaning of this term, however, based on the context of his speeches, it can be assumed that this is most likely a broad autonomy of the places of compact residence of Serbs in Kosovo. The maximum that Vucic can count on is a federation of the type of Bosnia and Herzegovina. More that he can offer in return is recognition of Kosovo’s independence. But this is also unlikely - Serbian society is strongly opposed to this step.
As we see, in order to designate the topic of dialogue, John Bolton used the term “territory adjustment”, which was previously applied by Tachi, which unequivocally indicates what kind of “problem solution” will be supported by Washington. We also see that the national security adviser does not even mention the agreements reached in Brussels, which have not been implemented by Pristina, as if hinting at the loss of their relevance.
Since the keynote of Bolton’s speech is the idea that Pristina and Belgrade should sort out their problems themselves, and Europe “will not interfere,” what was said was a direct appeal to Thaci and his team not to pay too much attention to the EU and to solve the tasks. Directly pointing out that "many tried to mediate in his decision, but these efforts were in vain."
Next, Bolton emphasizes that the negotiations of the Serbian leadership and the Kosovo separatists on the “adjustment of the territories” are of an unspoken nature, that is, both parties, or at least one of them want to keep their fact secret.
Recall that Alexander Vucic in Serbia, many accuse him of acting secretly from the Serbian people. Since the policy of “concessions on Kosovo in exchange for European integration” pursued by him and his predecessors provoked a protest by a considerable part of the public, Vucic does not have much reason to advertise “some details” of the talks, although he himself categorically rejects the fact of secret contacts with Pristina and Brussels.
If he is telling the truth, then Trump's adviser for some reason slanders the president of Serbia.
If, nevertheless, secret negotiations are underway, then Bolton, openly saying that the Serbian leader is bargaining behind the backs of his voters, for some purpose “merges” Vucic. Who managed to establish himself as a man of uniquely pro-Western orientation, ready to make almost any concessions.
In any case, such steps by the national security adviser, clearly aimed at discrediting the Serbian leader and EU mediation efforts, do not tally with Bolton’s assertion that Washington is interested in the success of these negotiations and in ending the conflict peacefully.
Since Bolton cannot be considered a mentally inadequate person who himself does not understand what he is saying, it is impossible, it is obvious that he pursues goals completely different from the declared ones.
By his speech, he, firstly, gives Kosovo separatists carte blanche for “adjusting the borders” of Serbia, without regard to Brussels, which turned out to be a non-solvent mediator. Secondly, he promises US support in the event of a “dialogue” success. And thirdly, by his speech he seriously undermines the position of the leadership of Serbia, which, given the political crisis that is raging in the country, can seriously destabilize the situation.
It is not difficult to understand that the Americans purposefully provoke an escalation of the conflict in the Balkans. The goals they pursue are clear. In addition to the strategic task of eliminating Serbia as a potential core of the “regional empire” of the allied Russia, they seek to create serious problems for the EU, and above all for Germany, the main mediator, who also has interests in the region.
In addition, Washington expects that in the event of an escalation of the conflict, Russia, traditionally patronized by Serbia, will somehow be drawn into it. Which, in turn, will further complicate our country's relations with European powers.
In other words, with his performance in Kiev, Bolton once again confirmed that the main source of tension and conflict on the European continent is the activities of the United States.