Tom Countryman, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Interview with BBC Radio-Albanian Service

December 29, 2010

QUESTION:  Kosovo is almost a three-year-old state with more than 70 countries that have recognized its independence.   And, at an international level, Kosovo is struggling and is seeking more recognition.  What do you see the biggest obstacle for the Kosovist movement in the international level or internationally?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman: The United States is determined to see Kosovo become a country fully-recognized by the international community and a member of all the key international institutions.  We believe that the decision of the International Court of Justice this year removes any obstacle that any state might have about recognizing Kosovo’s independence.  We’ll continue to work with the government of Kosovo on convincing states one by one that they should join in recognizing Kosovo. 

At the same time, it is important for Kosovo to continue the very rapid and impressive growth of its own government institutions to demonstrate to the international community that it has both the capability for strong self-governance, that it has the capability to be economically sustainable, and that it has a future as a member of the European Union.  And I think as this is further demonstrated, and builds on the truly remarkable progress of the last three years, it will become easier to convince other states around the world to recognize Kosovo.

QUESTION:  There have been different reports on Kosovo during the year but the latest one comes from the Council of Europe envoy, Dick Marty, who was accusing the Kosovo leadership of running the criminal activities.  Is this report damaging the Kosovo’s European future?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman: First, I want to emphasize that we take Mr. Marty’s report seriously.  It contains a number of allegations.  There is apparently additional evidence and witnesses that are not contained in the report, and which need to be shared with the proper investigating authority, which is EULEX, the European Union Mission for the Rule of Law in Kosovo.  We welcome the statements by the governments both in Kosovo and Albania that they are fully prepared to cooperate in every way with any work done by EULEX to investigate any new evidence that may be contained in the report.
Certainly, it is damaging to the reputation of Kosovo and that’s why we share the opinion of the government of Kosovo that it ought to be cleared up, it ought to be investigated, and either verified or refuted as rapidly as possible.   

QUESTION:  There has been also criticism in this report of the international presence in Kosovo for not doing enough to investigate these allegations during all these years.  How do you see this criticism on the international presence in Kosovo?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman: I don’t think I’ve got an independent comment on that.  I think that the international actors with responsibility for this—both UNMIK and EULEX—have said recently that they have previously investigated these allegations and concluded that there was not enough evidence to bring a case forward.  Now, if Mr. Marty has additional evidence or witnesses, that could be a basis for reopening investigations.  But not having access myself to either the evidence that the UNMIK and EULEX had or ICTY, and also not having access to whatever new evidence Mr. Marty has, I can’t join in a criticism of those groups for their past actions.

QUESTION:  How are you going to respond to the reports that Mr. Marty asks for the international community to investigate this issue?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman:  The recommendation that Mr. Marty made was that EULEX investigate this issue and we agree with that.

QUESTION:  Mr. Countryman, it seems that the United States has taken the backseat in the Balkans, leaving the European Union to deal with its backyard.  Are we going to see a more assertive, let me say United States involvement in the Balkans?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman:  Well, I disagree with your premise.  The entire purpose and message of Secretary Clinton’s visit to the region in October was to demonstrate both in words and in symbols—such as the opening of our new embassy in Sarajevo—that the United States is committed to remaining in the Balkans.  We were there through the most difficult, violent days of the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, and today we remain there working with each of the member states and continuing to provide significant assistance for economic and social development.

The future of these states is within the European Union, and each of the states in the region has made that clear.  In fact, our assistance program is aimed at helping them to meet the requirements for membership in the European Union.  This is the most effective path forward for their internal, political, and economic development.  The United States does not need to be assertive merely for the purpose for being assertive.  We need to have a purpose and our purpose is in the economic and political and social development of these states.  And the most effective path, as the last 20 years of history has shown us, to achieve that goal is to set as your target membership in the European Union.  The European Union is our closest partner in everything that needs to be accomplished in the Balkans and that is the way it will stay.      

QUESTION:  Mr. Countryman, Kosovo had its first elections since independence.  How would you characterize the elections in Kosovo held a couple of weeks ago?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman:  I was in Kosovo on election day and was impressed by what I saw, particularly impressed by the large numbers of observers from civil society, not from individual parties, who turned out to seek to guarantee the integrity of the election.  And in general, these were the most successful and fair elections Kosovo has held.  However, as our ambassador noted, there were serious problems in specific districts where the election and the monitoring process both broke down.  And that’s why we are having a rerun in certain districts on January 9th. 
The key task is to complete those repeated elections in a fair manner, a transparent manner, and then for the parties to rapidly come to agreement on a new government that can address some of the pressing issues that face Kosovo today. 

QUESTION:  But Mr. Countryman, northern Kosovo has not been part of the elections in Kosovo.  Serbs there are still refusing to participate in Kosovo’s institutions.  There was a fear of partition of Kosovo.  Is this an issue of concern for the international community and especially for the U.S.?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman: Certainly, it is.  We don’t know how many Serbs wanted to vote in northern Kosovo.  What we do know is that violence and threats of violence from other Serbs prevented anyone from voting on Dec 12th.  That’s an unacceptable situation and one that we’d expect authorities in Belgrade to speak out more strongly against.  It is not Kosovo-Albanians and it is not the international community that is preventing Kosovo Serbs from voting.  It is only their fellow Serbs.      

QUESTION:  What about the Belgrade, let me say role, in this issue and especially when it comes to the northern part of Kosovo?  How do you see Belgrade’s role there?  

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman:  Belgrade provides a massive subsidy each year to parallel institutions in northern Kosovo without transparency, without either Kosovars or the international community being able to see how that money is spent.   It is not the expenditure of the money that we object to.  It is the support of parallel institutions, including institutions that rely upon threats of violence to impose their will upon the people of northern Kosovo.  In our view, Belgrade needs to make a change in this policy.

QUESTION:  The elections in Kosovo and some other issues seems that they have postponed the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade.  What concretely do you anticipate from the dialogue between the two parties?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman:  First, we expect both Serbia and Kosovo to come to the table to discuss how to improve the daily life of the citizens of Kosovo.  Both governments have a responsibility to reach practical solutions and to reach creative solutions.  And, at the same time, they have a responsibility to undertake these difficult discussions in confidence, without daily press conferences and without public posturing for political benefit.  And that’s what we would expect to see from each government.

QUESTION:  Are you going to support the government of Kosovo, with Mr. Thaci being prime minister, after all the allegations that have been made by Mr. Dick Marty?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman:  Unless and until the allegations move towards a clearer demonstration of facts, we will continue to support whatever government is chosen by the people of Kosovo.

QUESTION:   And let me ask you two more questions—one about Albania and another one about Macedonia.   In Albania, there is political deadlock with the government and the opposition being far apart.  There is a growing sense in the country that the international community is playing a hands-off policy.  Albania is a NATO member after all.  Are you going to urge the country’s politicians to urgently find a way forward?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman:  This is our daily message to both parties: the current political standoff between the two leading parties in Albania does not benefit the people of Albania.  As a NATO member and as a country that aspires to become part of the European Union, Albania needs to develop the capability for compromise between the leading parties and the capability to hold fair and transparent elections in the local elections coming up in the spring.  The international community is not hands off, but Albania is not a protectorate.  It is a member of NATO.  It says it is ready for European Union membership.  If that is the case, you can’t expect outside interference to solve problems that political leaders have been unwilling to solve. They need to show that all parties are capable of participating responsibly in the political life of the country.  And, unfortunately, we have not seen that in recent months.

QUESTION:  And about Macedonia, still problems with Greece, which somehow is preventing the country’s membership to NATO and to the European Union.  How do you overcome the impasse that has been created between two countries?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Countryman:  What is positive is that the two countries—Greece and Macedonia—are speaking directly and confidentially and respectfully to each other.  The two prime ministers have met several times.  It’s only through that kind of process that they’ll be able to reach a compromise that no doubt, will have some political cost in both countries.  But will be a real demonstration of leadership by two prime ministers, both of whom we respect greatly, and will allow both of them to make a lasting, historical contribution to regional stability.