Former CIA chief says U.S. would accept Balkan border changes

Belgrade, 30 September 2018 (MIA) – Steven Meyer, former CIA deputy chief of the Balkan Task Force, told Belgrade newspaper Novosti that he believed U.S. policy towards Kosovo and the region had significantly changed and that, in his opinion, Washington was unlikely to oppose border changes in the Balkans.

"If the local leadership wants to change borders," Meyer said, "I don't believe that Washington would oppose it."

According to him, Germany was in favor of the changes but was afraid this would threaten stability; Britain was "fifty-fifty," whereas the EU would accept such a solution if it were reached.

Mayer noted he has been saying this for twenty years and that border changes should be made.

"I told my Serbian friends they need to understand they cannot take back a large part of Kosovo," Mayer said, "because it would mean war. But, the region north of the Ibar is a different story."

Regarding southern Kosovo, Mayer said that the Serbian population could either stay there or move out.

He also noted that Republika Srpska should hold a referendum with three choices: to stay within Bosnia and Herzegovina, to be independent, or to join Serbia. In Meyer's opinion, this would make the countries more homogenous.mr/15:02