“We are making trips all over the world to garner the support of other countries for the independent Kosovo,” Hoxhaj said, explaining the country's bid for worldwide recognition. Kosovo experienced decades of bloodshed in the turbulent Balkan wars before finally declaring independence in February 2008. Speaking in an interview with Today's Zaman in İstanbul, where he was participating in the extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Somalia, Hoxhaj stated that more than 20 countries among the OIC's 57 members have yet to recognize Kosovo.
“We share the same religion, culture and vision with these countries,” Hoxhaj said, calling on Muslim countries to initiate the process of establishing diplomatic ties with Kosovo, a development that would support the country's declaration of sovereignty as an independent country. “We are expecting them to recognize us, as the ties of brotherhood between us necessitate,” the minister explained.
Hoxhaj said that Turkey is the top foreign contributor to Kosovo and relayed his country's gratitude to the Turkish people for their support of Kosovo's independence. Elaborating on these remarks, Hoxhaj said the bids for the management of the airport in the capital of Pristina and for the construction of the country's largest highway were awarded to Turkish companies. He also added that there were 30,000 Turkish troops stationed in Kosovo at the height of the Yugoslavian crisis, but now the number had been reduced to 5,000. Besides Turkey's ongoing contribution to Kosovo's security, Hoxhaj noted that Turks were also engaged in the construction of schools, hospitals and other infrastructure in the country.
In addition to Kosovo's efforts to establish diplomatic relations all over the world, Hoxhaj acknowledged that the country's main goals are accession to the EU and admission to the UN, which could enable long-lasting and healthy relations between Kosovo and the member countries of these international organizations. In response to concerns as to whether Russia and China, which have so far refrained from recognizing Kosovo, are acting in support of Serbia, Hoxhaj expressed the belief that these countries are trying to better understand Kosovo's situation at the moment. Although the country declared independence after a lengthy war in the Balkans, Serbia continues to regard Kosovo as an enclave within its own territory, denying the country's independence and engaging in clashes with Kosovo's forces along their common border.
Hoxhaj also noted that the talks Kosovo has been holding with Serbia in Brussels for the past year were not aimed at political ends but were meetings on trade-related and social issues and that the countries were planning to discuss energy, telecommunications and technical matters in the coming months. Finally, touching on the subject of clashes with Serbia on Kosovo's northern border, Hoxhaj indicated that the unrest does not stem from Serbian civilians but is most likely directed by forces outside Serbia.
