U.S., Germany at Odds Over Serbia-Kosovo Land Swap U.S. support for a land swap in Europe’s southeast is among a number of issues on which Berlin and Washington disagreeBy Laurence Norman and Drew Hinshaw
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-germany-at-odds-over-serbia-kosovo-land-swap-1535729377?cx_testId=16&cx_testVariant=cx&cx_artPos=1&cx_tag=contextual&cx_navSource=newsReel#cxrecs_s
VIENNA—The U.S. and Germany are at odds over a possible plan to redraw the border between Serbia and Kosovo and resolve one of Europe’s last major territorial disputes, with Berlin concerned the move could open a Pandora’s box of ethnic recriminations in some of the region’s poorest countries.
Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008, is regarded by Serbia as a breakaway state. But to seek backing for eventual European Union membership, the leaders of both nations have said they are considering border changes that could make the countries more ethnically and religiously homogeneous. There have been repeated clashes since 1999 between ethnic Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo, especially in the ethnically divided northern city of Mitrovica.
National security adviser John Bolton said last week that Washington had no qualms with the idea, despite two decades of Western opposition. But German officials said Friday they remain deeply skeptical.
“We don’t think discussions on a land swap between Kosovo and Serbia are constructive,” said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, on his way into discussions in Vienna between EU foreign ministers and Balkan officials. “It can open up too many old wounds among the people there.” CONTINUE AT SITE
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