Hashim Tha詬 the right partner for Serbia

By Ilir Meta
Who could be our interlocutor in Kosovo? – I was asked by Zoran Dindic, the late prime minister of Serbia, in May 2002. “Hashim Thaci” – I replied without hesitation, noticing a slight expression of surprise in his eyes. But his surprise quickly made room for concentration in expectation of arguments.
At the time Hashim Thaci was leader of the PDK, the second largest party in the ruling coalition, which had also given the coalition the Prime Minister, Mr. Bajram Rexhepi. In an institutional sense Thaci may not have been the most representative figure to start a process of communication with Serbia – a process that started much later, as a result of international mediation – but he was without a doubt the most appropriate
Hashim Thaci did not suffer from any complexes that would have obstructed him from opening a dialogue with Serbia ; a dialogue that required significant political courage and a clear vision. He was free of any apprehension concerning a dialogue of the kind which would go some way towards creating an atmosphere of optimism that would help all leave the conflicts of the past behind. Firstly no one could accuse him or hold him accountable for the fact that he was communicating with Belgrade. Nobody could have any suspicions on the good and constructive intentions of the former political leader of the KLA concerning the changing of history, this time through dialogue and cooperation.
And although Thaci had been a fighter and the leader of the KLA no accusations of crimes or attrocities were raised against him by the Hague Tribunal. He had simply been a fighting for the freedom of his people and not against the Serb people. War was not his vocation, but it was imposed on him by the oppresive machinery of Serbia led by Milosevic. Thaci had given proof that he prefered agreement to conflict. It was he that signed the Rambouille agreement, convincing even the most radicals in order to avoid war. I was personally convinced of this because as Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Albania throughout those years of the policy of openes and cooperation with Serbia I had always enjoyed the support of Hashim Thaci.
Unfortunately the meeting between Dindic and Thaci we had hoped for was not realized because in March 2003 Prime Minister Dindic was killed and along with him went that courageous readiness to build strong bridges of communication between Albanians and Serbs.
Today, in 2008, six years after that conversation I am even more convinced about what I told the Serb Prime Minister on that day : Hashim Thaci is the appropriate partner for Serbia in Kosovo.
Now Thaci is Prime Minister of Kosovo and leader of the largest party in the country. The circumstances today are even more favourable for him to play the role of the visionary and courageous leader, for him to usher in a new era in relations between Serbs and Albanians, thus giving an important contribution not just for the benefit of Kosovo and Serbia but also for the region.
Today Thaci is no longer just a freedom fighter, but also a mature and moderate politician. And in Kosovo there exists today a loyal duo in Thaci and Sejdiu which posseses the necessary moderation and will to take the development of Kosovo forward and to consolidate its role in the region and abroad.
There are those who might ask why Thaci would be the best choice for Serbia ? Naturally this question cannot be answered before answering another question : What are the Serbs looking for in Kosovo ? The best answer was provided by President Ahtisaari and his plan, which has at its core the independence of Kosovo and which first and foremost makes provisions for the respect of the rights and security of the Serb minority, their integration in the social, economic and political life of Kosovo, respect for culture, for the religious objects and heritage.
Thaci has given his answer to this question and explained his attitude towards a multiethnic Kosovo in an article in the International Herald Tribune in November 2005, when the process of determining Kosovo’s final status had just begun. ˠPerhaps, ۠- he wrote, ˠ the best motivation for all of us would be for the European Union to accept Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia as three independent countries that have implemented the same standards of democratic development, protection of minorities and economic guarantees under the stewardship of NATO. In this way the whole region could be disarmed, borders could be opened, there could be free movement of people, trade and services, there could be strong rule of law and stable economiesƔhen and only then the hatred and conflicts of the past could really be locked in our colective memories and not be reborn in every generation. ۠
In his newly assumed post Thaci has taken concrete steps towards realizing this approach. The integration of the Serb community and other minorities in his government is the first step. He is conscious that the liberty of Kosovo cannot be safe and stable without the liberty of the Serb minority. Kosovo is indeed facing an historical moment with its coming independence and there is no way back from it. The challenge of Kosovo and its prime minister is to manage the whole post-independence problematique and especially its relations with Serbia and Kosovo Serbs. His success in meeting these challenges depends also from the support of the internationals, which for its part depeds on how Thaci and his government will respect the rights of the Serbs.
Six years ago on 14 February 2003, four weeks before being assasinated in an interview with the Voice of America Dindic expressed his willingness to meet Hashim Thaci as a politician who was able to implement the elements needed for an understanding and compromise. This meeting has yet to be realized by those who have the same courage and vision as Dindic.