66
Vebi Kosumi
over Northern Kosovo.3 Dačić’s declaration shows that Serbia admits
to having no control over Kosovo. Yet, all the neighbouring States have
recognised Kosovo except for Serbia.
Quantitative and Qualitative Asymmetries between the Conflict
Parties
There are quantitative and qualitative asymmetries between the parties
involved in the conflict. Serbia has a superior army, while Kosovo aims
to create its national army in 2014 (Bytyci); however Kosovo’s borders
are protected and guaranteed by NATO. Serbia was bombed by NATO
in 1999 and any potential violence, aggression or crossing of Kosovar
borders have been met by a strong NATO response. The military asymmetries may create a different interstate conflict (Ohlson, Robert 1994:
268). Both parties rely on diplomatic supporters. Serbia is affiliated with
Russia, while Kosovo is supported by the G7 and 23 out of 28 EU countries, excluding Slovakia, Romania, Spain, Greece and Cyprus. There
is no risk of military intervention by either side. Nevertheless, Northern Kosovo is not fully controlled by Kosovo’s Government. Kosovo
sent its special police unit to assume control of two customs posts in
July 2011, causing local Serbs to rebel and a Kosovar policeman was
killed (Woehrel 2013:4) resulting in the withdrawal of the special police
(Capussela 2011). The Kosovar Government has limited administrative
and police presence in the north of the country and NATO secures its
border, but the local Serbs refuse to cooperate with the administration
that they do not recognise (Delauney 2013).
Since 1999 the Northern part of Kosovo has not been under control of UNMIK or
Kosovo’s Government, but the borders have been protected by NATO. Serbs in Northern
Kosovo maintain parallel administrative structures with support from Serbia. The EU
has facilitated a dialogue since 2011 between Serbia and Kosovo. On 23 April 2013 an
agreement was reached between Serbia and Kosovo to integrate Northern Kosovo into its
administration giving Kosovo Serbs maximum right in municipal administration, such as
in appointing police force and judiciary in North Kosovo.
3