
Peter Sorensen expected to be Lajcak's successor for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue


The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has decided that Danish diplomat Peter Sorensen will be the special representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
This position is currently held by Miroslav Lajcak.
Radio Free Europe has learned from diplomatic sources in the EU that Sorensen's name has also been sent for approval to the bloc's member states.
His candidacy will be on the agenda at the meeting of the EU's Political and Security Committee (PSC), which brings together representatives of all member states.
Diplomatic sources said that according to past practice, Sorensen's confirmation by member states will only be a formal procedure, as Kallas has already selected him as special envoy for the dialogue.
EU special representatives are appointed by the bloc's chief diplomat, but their appointment must also be confirmed by member states in the Council.
It is expected that Sorensen will be confirmed in the post of emissary for dialogue by the end of this month, so that he can begin his mandate in early February.
The current envoy, Lajcak, expires on January 31st.
Sorensen from Denmark has extensive diplomatic experience in EU structures. He is currently Senior Advisor at the EU External Action Service (EEAS) for digital diplomacy.
During his diplomatic career in the EU, Sorensen has held several posts in the Western Balkans. He served as the EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Head of the EU Office in Sarajevo. He was also Head of the European Union Delegation in Skopje.
Previously, Sorensen also worked as an advisor in Kosovo in the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), and was also the Special Representative of the EU High Representative in Serbia. In the Balkans, he also worked in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Croatia.
His experience from the region is said to have been one of the arguments why Kaja Kallas decided that he would be Lajcak's successor.
Diplomatic sources in the EU told Radio Free Europe that Sorensen is expected to be only a special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and will not have other obligations related to the Western Balkans, as his predecessor had.
Former Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, who also has knowledge of developments in the Western Balkans, was also mentioned as a possible facilitator for the dialogue. In Kosovo, Haavisto served as Deputy Head of Pillar IV (Economic Reconstruction and Development) of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) from 2002 to 2006, and as Senior Advisor to the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo from 2001 to 2002.
The name of former Slovenian President and Prime Minister Borut Pahor was also mentioned for these roles. Last year, he admitted that he was interested in this position. However, in January of this year, he said that he would not run for this position, as he understood that it required more of a diplomatic than a political level.
Otherwise, during Lajcak's nearly five-year mandate, Kosovo and Serbia have reached an agreement on the path towards normalizing relations.
The agreement, which has not been signed, is legally binding on the parties, the bloc said. The EU has accused Kosovo and Serbia of failing to start implementing the pact, saying it would affect the two countries' path towards European integration.
The dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, mediated by the European Union, began in 2011. During the process, several agreements have been reached, but few of them have been implemented on the ground./REL

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