First of all, I would like to thank KDI for organizing a discussion on such a fundamental issue which keeps us all very busy since months.
The Ambassador of Switzerland is not here to say what should be done and how to do it, and even less what must be done. But I will use the precious time you offered me today to share some key lessons that my country learned while facilitating and mediating in peace processes.
The first lesson learned is that redrawing borders never worked. We do not have any example in history when moving borders with exchange of territories allowed sustainable peace and normalisation between former belligerents. Why? The answer is very simple: if they are not taken care of, pre-existing issues and problems from the conflict will continue being there, crystallised over the same border and moved only some kilometres away. The same issues will still be alive and vivid after moving the borders, most surely they will be complicated by new issues. Furthermore, we are in the Balkans. My distinguished colleague, the Ambassador of United Kingdom to Kosovo said very rightly that it is dangerous to touch the borders in this region.
The second lesson learned is to never force an agreement. We do not have any example when a “quick fix” was sustainable on the long run. Even less for a forced “quick fix” imposed by others against the willingness of the interlocutors. Allow me to quote President Trump for this: “No rush. No rush. We just want to do the right deal. Chairman Kim and myself, we want to do the right deal. Speed is not important. What’s important is that we do the right deal.” (28.02.2019 in “The Guardian”[1])
The third lesson learned is that each peace process has to take into account all the specificities of each conflict. There is no “copy paste” solution ready to be implemented for normalising the relations between conflicting parties.
The fourth lesson learned is that signing an agreement is not the key point, concluding the implementation process of an agreement really makes the difference. We know that from the Brussels Agreement which is a simple two pager, and yet a number of key issues still remain not implemented and solved.
Said that, what is basically needed in order to start a process of normalisation aiming to a comprehensive agreement is trust between the parties. It is easy to say it, but after a conflict, with fights, bombing, death, rape and other horror, there is no trust at all. Normal relations vanished, animosity and distrust are everywhere, as well as hate and spirit of retaliation. Political commitment to address the many thorny issues at stake grows very slowly and requires trust, which sometimes third party brokers can foster. This of course presupposes the willingness or the capacity of the parties to reach an agreement. This means courage and vision by the leaders and representatives of both sides.
It is necessary to do an important work to treat unresolved issues which are left open after a conflict. Switzerland is therefore concentrating its human security activities in the following sectors, convinced that they will have a long-term positive impact on the normalisation:
- Supporting the dialogue
- Dealing with the past including missing persons
- Integration of minorities into Kosovo society
- Respect of cultural diversity including languages
- And of course Justice for victims.
In this kind of processes, the destiny or the interests of the ordinary people are usually not taken into account. So, the politicians also have to ask themselves how whatever agreement would influence the life of the ordinary people before reaching any deal. In the end, we don’t talk about the numbers but about lives of every individual in the country affected by the agreement.
