Turkish envoy says no military solution to Kosovo-Serbia issue, urges dialogue

PRISTINA, Kosovo

There is no military solution to the conflict between Kosovo and Serbia, said Turkish Ambassador Tunc Angili to Pristina, emphasizing the importance of dialogue in resolving all issues and offering Ankara's participation if the parties so desire.

"Türkiye, like many other countries, believes that the only way to solve the problems between Kosovo and Serbia is dialogue. There is no military solution to this problem. It can only be resolved through dialogue," Angili told Anadolu in an interview about Türkiye's policy for the region.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and was recognized by many countries, including Türkiye. But Belgrade has never recognized Kosovo and maintains that it is still part of Serbia.

Türkiye's support for strengthening the capacity of the Kosovo Security Force in certain areas is not directed at any other country, including Serbia, the ambassador said.

According to Angili, Türkiye advocates for permanent stability and peace in the Balkans.

"Our policy is clear… we are trying to develop equal distance and mutual benefit-based relations with everyone in the Balkans. This is the same for Kosovo and the other Balkan countries. As such, this strengthens Türkiye's position as a reliable actor," he said.

Angili said Türkiye can contribute to the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia if both parties request it.

In response to a question about the power distribution issue, the ambassador said Türkiye has been conducting intensive diplomacy to resolve the electricity distribution dispute that has been ongoing in the Serb-majority municipalities in northern Kosovo since 1999.

The envoy said one of Türkiye's most important goals in 2024 is to deepen economic cooperation with Kosovo.

"We believe that if we no longer see this economic cooperation, it will benefit both Kosovo's employment and exports. This will be one of the most important goals in Türkiye-Kosovo relations in 2024 to deepen and diversify economic cooperation," he said.

Speaking about the upcoming Kosovo census, which will take place in April, the ambassador said Turks are an essential element in Kosovo's continuation as an independent, free, and self-sufficient republic.

"I believe that the Turkish community (in Kosovo) will approach the census issue as a national issue above politics, and hopefully we will see the real number of Kosovo Turks after the census is completed," said Angili.

Kosovo and Serbia are frequently involved in a series of disputes and crises as one tries to build an independent nation and country while the other sees it as its territory.

Albanians are by far the largest ethnic group in Kosovo, followed by Serbs, with about half living in the north.

The European Union has facilitated a dialogue process for the parties to resolve disputes and reach an agreement to move forward in becoming an EU member state.

Under a UN Security Council resolution, NATO has led a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo since 1999. Currently, the mission has approximately 4,500 troops contributed by 27 NATO allies and partners.

Türkiye took command of NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) on Oct. 9.

Among 27 NATO member countries and partners, Türkiye has the second-largest contingent in KFOR, contributing 780 of its approximately 4,500 soldiers.