Skopje, 1 December 2023 (MIA) - I am optimistic that Kosovo will soon become an OSCE member, but it requires consensus from all 57 participating countries. I believe that, at that stage, Kosovo will have access to the organization's instruments, Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani said during the final press conference.

When asked whether during the OSCE chairmanship he pointed out Serbia as responsible for territorial claims towards Kosovo and for inciting interethnic tensions and instability in the Balkans, Osmani reiterated the national position as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, which, he said, is unequivocal.

“We have recognized the Republic of Kosovo, hosted the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia in Ohrid, leading to the Ohrid Agreement. We see it as the singular path forward, seeking a comprehensive agreement between Serbia and Kosovo for mutual recognition. This is our national stance, and we persist in offering our country as a host. We maintain good relations with both Serbia and Kosovo,” Osmani noted.

We have experience with complex compromises, he added. Based on that experience, we call on both countries to close this open issue, as it has become a vulnerable point in the region 'often exploited by malign actors,' and this is the national position that we advocate, he said.

“As the chair of the OSCE, I was engaged in issues related to Kosovo and Serbia. We have field operations both in Pristina and Belgrade. We have five regional offices in all communities in Kosovo, and the OSCE is a respected international organization in Kosovo, as it is in Belgrade. I visited both countries during our chairmanship. I proposed a nine-point plan for de-escalation in north of Kosovo,” Osmani pointed out.