New York – Rep. Eliot L. Engel, the Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, authored the following Letter to the Editor in today’s International New York Times, responding to Roger Cohen’s February 7 op-ed “Setting aside revealed truth,” supporting the Kosovo-Serbia agreement.

An exemplary Balkan peace accord

“Regarding ‘Setting aside revealed truth’ (Opinion, Feb. 7): Roger Cohen is right. The change between Serbia and Kosovo over the last year can make one do a double take.

“At the Munich Security conference, I too witnessed the breath of fresh air of mutual recognition, the difficult setting aside of ancient myths, and the effort to strive for a better future demonstrated by the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia, Prime Ministers Hashim Thaci and Ivica Dacic.

“While there remains more to achieve and implement, last year’s agreement between the two Balkan countries took great courage, and was only reached with the support of an experienced mediator, Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief. Last year, I and several House colleagues nominated the three leaders for the Nobel Peace Prize.

“By recognizing this important act of political reconciliation, the Nobel Committee can raise the Belgrade-Pristina agreement as a model for the whole world — and offer an example of a future of peace, rather than of conflict.”

Eliot L. Engel, Washington

The writer, a Democratic representative from New York, is the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.


Related Coverage
The Op-Ed by Roger Cohen, to which this letter responds, can be viewed here