Swordsmyth
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Ten years after Kosovo unilaterally seceded from Serbia, the two countries are still far from reaching an agreement to normalize their relations. In recent days, however, an old idea has re-emerged: a mutual exchange of territory to make both countries more ethnically homogeneous. On Aug. 6, Kosovar President Hashim Thaci said "border adjustments" between Kosovo and Serbia could foster better relations. One day later, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic echoed Thaci's sentiments, saying a compromise between the two countries involving territorial swaps was possible.
While neither Thaci nor Dacic gave details on their respective proposals — and in an Aug. 8 press conference, Thaci clarified that he was not advocating for the partition of Kosovo — a potential exchange would likely involve two main territories: North Kosovo and the Presevo Valley. Pristina could cede the North Kosovo region (a territory in northern Kosovo that is home to a large ethnic Serbian population) to Belgrade, receiving the Presevo Valley (a region in southern Serbia that is home to a large ethnic Albanian community) in return. Other territories in Kosovo that feature large Serbian populations or are home to important Orthodox monasteries could also obtain special status. As part of the deal, Serbia would recognize Kosovo's independence, which would open the door for Pristina's full integration with international organizations.
More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/serbia-kosovo-neighbors-test-waters-land-swap
While neither Thaci nor Dacic gave details on their respective proposals — and in an Aug. 8 press conference, Thaci clarified that he was not advocating for the partition of Kosovo — a potential exchange would likely involve two main territories: North Kosovo and the Presevo Valley. Pristina could cede the North Kosovo region (a territory in northern Kosovo that is home to a large ethnic Serbian population) to Belgrade, receiving the Presevo Valley (a region in southern Serbia that is home to a large ethnic Albanian community) in return. Other territories in Kosovo that feature large Serbian populations or are home to important Orthodox monasteries could also obtain special status. As part of the deal, Serbia would recognize Kosovo's independence, which would open the door for Pristina's full integration with international organizations.
More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/serbia-kosovo-neighbors-test-waters-land-swap
