Serbia and Kosovo in cooperation deal

EU announces step towards normality in relationship that has remained volatile since war that was followed by majority ethnic Albanian region breaking away

 Federica Mogherini announced a ‘landmark’ deal between Serbia and Kosovo. Photograph: Olivier Hoslet/EPA

Agence France-Presse in Brussels-Wednesday 26 August 2015

Serbia and Kosovo have reached a “landmark” agreement in several key areas, according to the EU, in a major step towards normalising ties after their war in the 1990s and Pristina’s eventual unilateral declaration of independence.

Prime ministers Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia and Isa Mustafa of Kosovo struck a deal in areas including energy and telecommunications, said European Union policy chief Federica Mogherini, who is brokering the talks.

“Today’s outcome represents landmark achievements in the normalisation process,” said Mogherini, a former Italian foreign minister.

“Solutions such as those found today bring concrete benefits to the people and at the same time enable the two sides to advance on their European path.”

The agreement comes two days before a major summit grouping leaders of western Balkan nations and Mogherini, amid concerns over a huge flow of migrants through the region, and also over Russian influence.

 US soldiers from the Nato peacekeeping mission in Kfor, which has remained in Kosovo since 1999. Photograph: Armend Nimani/AFP/Getty

Serbia and Kosovo have been at odds over Pristina’s 2008 unilateral declaration of independence. Belgrade has refused to join the United States and most of the EU in recognising Kosovo as an independent state.

The 1998-1999 Kosovo war ended when Serbian armed forces withdrew from the territory following an 11-week Nato bombing campaign.

In 2013 Pristina and Belgrade signed an EU-brokered agreement to normalise ties which enabled Belgrade to start EU accession talks a year later.

The agreement on Tuesday involves setting up a judicial structure in northern Kosovo acceptable to both the minority ethnic Serbs and majority Kosovars, who are ethnic Albanians, the EU said.

It also includes energy matters and a plan to boost Kosovo’s telecommunications system. The deal further covers use of the disputed Mitrovica Bridge.