US could take sides in Kosovo

LONDON -- Friday – According to Daniel Server, the American Peace Institute's expert on the Balkan region, the US could take a one-sided approach to the question of Kosovo's status if Belgrade does not complete all obligations to The Hague Tribunal.

Server told Radio BBC that he is “unsure if anyone in Washington is currently thinking about new measures that can be taken against Belgrade because of its lack of cooperation with The Hague Tribunal."

“This is Belgrade’s problem. Belgrade actively encouraged The Hague Tribunal to indict Ramush Haradinaj. If this happens and Haradinaj goes to The Hague, Washington will then demand that all indicted Serbs go to The Hague immediately as well. I don't think that anyone in Belgrade thought about that ahead of time, but I think that this is exactly what Washington would do." Server said.

He said that the question of “What if Belgrade does not go along with its international obligations?" is still a very relevant one.

“In that case, it is completely possible that the US would then take a one-sided approach to Kosovo." Server said.

Asked what the possibilities of such a move are, Server said that “it’s not very likely, because America wants problems in Kosovo to be solved through discussions in which its main partners will be Belgrade, Pristina and the European Union."

“But if Belgrade continues to behave rigidly towards The Hague Tribunal, even if Ramush Haradinaj is indicted and goes to The Hague and this does not lead to violence in Kosovo, then there will be a serious problem, because the American administration will then be under pressure to take a one-sided approach to solving the problems in Kosovo." Server said.