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MUSCELS FROM BRUSSELS; Closing expectations gap in Balkans

Zulfaj, Jeton LU (2014) In LUP - Lund University Publications STVM23 20141
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This thesis examines the influence of the EU exerted in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia with focus on foreign policy instruments. Normalizations of relations between Kosovo and Serbia were considered to be hard case for any diplomacy knowing their past enmities, disputes and a tradition of not talking to each-other, yet EU was able to successfully conclude three-landmark agreement that have narrowed the gap of disputes between the parties, increased stability in the Balkans and open their pathway to EU integration. How was EU able to bring parties to the table of dialogue and how did it exert influence and with what foreign policy instruments is the main motivation of the thesis. A qualitative case study approach is employed. A... (More)
This thesis examines the influence of the EU exerted in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia with focus on foreign policy instruments. Normalizations of relations between Kosovo and Serbia were considered to be hard case for any diplomacy knowing their past enmities, disputes and a tradition of not talking to each-other, yet EU was able to successfully conclude three-landmark agreement that have narrowed the gap of disputes between the parties, increased stability in the Balkans and open their pathway to EU integration. How was EU able to bring parties to the table of dialogue and how did it exert influence and with what foreign policy instruments is the main motivation of the thesis. A qualitative case study approach is employed. A thorough process tracing has been carried out which consisted in analyzing official documents from EU and the agreements reached in the dialogue. Apart from process tracing, six interviews have been carried out with all three parties in the dialogue to ensure the validity of the findings. The findings suggest that EU has successfully used ascension criteria and enlargement conditionality as main foreign policy instruments to influence the outcome of negotiations, while the Europeanization process has been an important intervening variable in reorienting the countries policies towards EU. The findings also confirm that EU is an undisputable and enormous influential actor in third countries as long as it keeps open the promise of membership. (Less)
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author
Zulfaj, Jeton LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM23 20141
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Foreign Policy, Enlargement, Conditionality, European Union, Europeanization.
publication/series
LUP - Lund University Publications
language
English
additional info
I posses also the original agreements that were signed in Brussels, but since they have the stamp of the government I am refraining from attaching them here, but I can bring them at any time. I also have the transcripts of interviews which I will bring with me during my defense.
id
4448200
date added to LUP
2014-07-07 14:43:50
date last changed
2014-07-07 14:43:50
@misc{4448200,
  abstract     = {{This thesis examines the influence of the EU exerted in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia with focus on foreign policy instruments. Normalizations of relations between Kosovo and Serbia were considered to be hard case for any diplomacy knowing their past enmities, disputes and a tradition of not talking to each-other, yet EU was able to successfully conclude three-landmark agreement that have narrowed the gap of disputes between the parties, increased stability in the Balkans and open their pathway to EU integration. How was EU able to bring parties to the table of dialogue and how did it exert influence and with what foreign policy instruments is the main motivation of the thesis. A qualitative case study approach is employed. A thorough process tracing has been carried out which consisted in analyzing official documents from EU and the agreements reached in the dialogue. Apart from process tracing, six interviews have been carried out with all three parties in the dialogue to ensure the validity of the findings. The findings suggest that EU has successfully used ascension criteria and enlargement conditionality as main foreign policy instruments to influence the outcome of negotiations, while the Europeanization process has been an important intervening variable in reorienting the countries policies towards EU. The findings also confirm that EU is an undisputable and enormous influential actor in third countries as long as it keeps open the promise of membership.}},
  author       = {{Zulfaj, Jeton}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{LUP - Lund University Publications}},
  title        = {{MUSCELS FROM BRUSSELS; Closing expectations gap in Balkans}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}