Recognition of Kosovo by the Arab countries is a matter of months, said yesterday in Prishtina the researcher of Islamic Studies, Ridvan Al Sayed.

At the international conference "Kosovo and the Arab world," held in Prishtina yesterday, Al Sayed said that there is no reason for Arab countries not to recognize Kosovo. Whereas other participants stressed the need for a higher preparation of the Kosovo high state institutions to seek recognition by countries that have not done this yet. 

 

Kosovo expects recognition by Arab countries, which have an important role in this process, was the conclusion by the attendees. An international conference in Prishtina yesterday, which dealt with the reports between Kosovo and the Arab world revealed the need of cooperation and communication with the Third World, with the goal of expediting the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state. Attending the conference were Kosovo government leaders, politicians, representatives of Kosovo civic society, as well as researchers and influencial intellectuals from different Arab countries.  The professor of Islamic studies, Ridvan Al Sayed, who is also an adviser to the Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, said that Arab countries have no reason to not recognize Kosovo.

 

"We are not satisfied with the current status of our relations. We don't see a reason why Arab countries hesitate and why they have not recognized until now the new Republic of Kosovo. We hope that in the coming months -- because it's a matter of months -- the relations between these countries and the Republic of Kosovo will take a new positive form," said Al Sayed.
Al Sayed mentioned hesitations by the different Arab governments about Kosovo also because of the western policy towards the eastern countries. But he argued for the need for a wider presence of Kosovo in the Arab countries, with the aim of making the case for recognition of independence.

 

Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu supported the initiative for cooperation and for opening new lines of communication, asking the representatives of the Arab countries to present in their region the new reality in Kosovo.
Kosovo Foreign Minister Skënder Hyseni presented the efforts of the Government of Kosovo to expand the appeal for recognition in the world.

 

"We believe that the opportunities for political, economic and other relations with the Arab world are great. With the recognition of Kosovo state by the Arab ones a new chapter will open which will allow the growth and advancement of these relations," said Hyseni.

 

Whereas Kosovar publicist Veton Surroi was more critical, accusing the Kosovo Government for the lack of a clear foreign policy program.

 

"Kosovo as a state has no policy towards the Arab world. To our Arab friends, if it serves as consolation it should be explained that Kosovo has no foreign policy, so there is no foreign policy towards the Arab world either. The Parliament of Kosovo has yet to discuss the country's foreign policy whether in commissions or general sessions. For the moment there is no guiding document that explains what this country aims for in the short term, midterm, or long term in its relations with the world, as with what is called  the Arab world," said Surroi.

 

Participants of the conference stressed the need of recognition of Kosovo by the Arab countries, citing this as a global answer to the independence of Kosovo. Although Kosovo has entered the road of Euro-Atlantic structures, it has cultural, religious and historic links with the Arab countries, therefore it is very important the buidiling of communication on all levels, said the participants of this conference organized by Forum 2015, a group of Kosovar NGOs.