Kosovo – the EU still looking to bully Belgrade? 

14 Dec 2012   | http://www.transconflict.com/2012/12/kosovo-the-eu-still-looking-to-bully-belgrade-142/

The EU has managed to appear to be resolving the Kosovo conflict through dialogue without actually going anywhere; Serbia and Kosovo have edged closer to each other physically, but the substantive gap between their positions remains total and zero-sum.
By Gerard M. Gallucci
The EU-sponsored dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo appears to have made striking progress in the last months.  The two prime ministers have met repeatedly and even had their pictures taken together.  Dialogue produced apparent substantive movement on two important issues:  boundary crossings and representation.  The long stalled IBM agreement (“integrated border management,” text here
) is now being implemented at northern and southern crossing points.  Prime Ministers Dacic and Thaci have agree to place representatives in each other’s capitals.  (The EU will play an intermediary role with the representatives being housed in EU offices.  No date yet announced for posting them.) However, a close look at what is happening on the ground, and at the EU’s position on Serbia’s EU membership prospects, suggests there is less than meets the eye.