Serbia must make concessions

The border dispute shows once again how urgent it is to clarify the political status of northern Kosovo. This won't happen without a softening of Serbia's stance, writes the liberal-conservative daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung: "Progress can only be expected through the process of EU integration. However, that will take some time. Northern Kosovo's secession or an exchange of territory are not options. That would be a late submission to the warmongers and nationalists. Quite apart from the potential consequences for other disputed regions of the Balkans the West would be betraying an old fundamental principle of its Yugoslavia policy, namely the immutability of internal and external borders. The best route to a political solution is to implement the 2007 Ahtisaari plan rejected by Belgrade which forms the basis for Kosovo's constitution and foresees extensive autonomy for the Serb-populated areas within Kosovo. Serbia will not be able to avoid making concessions if it wants to becomes a member of the EU." 

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