Gogic: Neither in Belgrade nor in Pristina is there a will for direct talks

Political scientist Ognjen Gogic told Kosovo Online that the question of whether negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina should be conducted directly, through a mediator, or at an international conference is more a matter of technique and form rather than substance, as the positions of both sides are very distant.

Moreover, there is no willingness on either side to engage in direct talks or to reach an agreement.

"The issue of direct negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina is a thought experiment, similar to speculations about an international conference. If Belgrade and Pristina had been able to negotiate directly, there would have been no need for mediation or the internationalization of the issue. We have even seen situations where representatives of Belgrade and Pristina refused to meet even in the presence of mediators, let alone engage in direct talks," Gogic said, commenting on a statement by former U.S. diplomat James Hooper that Kosovo should consider whether direct negotiations with Serbia would better serve its interests.

According to Gogic, the idea of direct negotiations is not grounded in the interests and expectations of either side, nor in past experience, which has shown that even mediators struggle to facilitate talks—let alone that the parties themselves could enter into a direct dialogue.

"If one were to argue that direct negotiations are a better option than mediation, that would imply that the European Union and the United States are somehow an obstacle and that they hinder the achievement of an agreement. That does not appear to be the case. It seems more likely that they have played a role in trying to bring the parties closer together but have not succeeded. It certainly cannot be said that the Americans or Europeans have caused divisions or made an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina even more distant than it already is. Therefore, there is no real basis to claim that direct negotiations would be more effective and efficient in reaching a solution than mediation," Gogic concluded.