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The envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Peter Sorensen, also participated in these informal meetings between Kosovo and Serbia...
A senior Kosovar politician and a Serb walked together through the old town of Solothurn to their hotel after dinner. According to informed sources, the scene was observed at the end of confidential talks that Switzerland regularly organizes between the two sides.
From the outside, hardliners dominate on both sides. Politicians rarely win votes with conciliatory rhetoric. But in the small Swiss town, representatives of both sides spoke so familiarly to each other that even those familiar with the conflict were surprised.
The Swiss newspaper "Neue Zurcher Zeitung" ( NZZ ) has published an article today revealing that the Swiss state has organized informal meetings between Kosovo and Serbia.
As the Swiss newspaper writes, these meetings were attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and head of the negotiating team, Besnik Bislimi, and the Serbian chief diplomat, Marko Djuric.
NZZ reports that for years nothing has been revealed about these informal talks between Kosovo and Serbia, although there were some reports from NZZ itself in 2022 about meetings of politicians in the city of Solothurn in Switzerland.
The newspaper "Blick" also reported in November 2025.
"However, until now it was not publicly known that ministers from both sides regularly attended meetings in Switzerland."
According to some sources, among them were Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, who is responsible for negotiations with Belgrade, and Serbian Foreign Minister and former ambassador to the US, Marko Djuric, reports NZZ.
The meetings have also been confirmed by the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Roland Salvisberg from the Swiss MFA has indicated that these meetings are organized two to three times a year.
“The dialogue from the beginning has aimed to facilitate exchanges between key figures from all major Serbian and Kosovar parties,” says Roland Salvisberg, head of the responsible section in the FDFA’s Peace and Human Rights Division.
He explained that in these meetings, each side decides independently who to send.
The envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Peter Sorensen, also participated in these informal meetings between Kosovo and Serbia.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry has said that these are complementary negotiations to those led by the European Union.
Switzerland began the talks as a confidential process. As a small town, Solothurn offers a space for discreet and honest discussions away from the cameras, says Salvisberg.
It's the opposite of high-profile diplomacy on the big stage. "We're not dictating solutions, we're asking questions. Switzerland is trying to create the conditions for normalization," he says.
The dialogue is an example of Berne’s good offices. It shows that, despite Russia’s criticism that it is no longer neutral, Switzerland continues to play its traditional role as a mediator. Moreover, this engagement illustrates that good offices and interest-based politics are not mutually exclusive. Switzerland is home to a large Kosovar diaspora.
In addition, there are over 60,000 Serbs and many people with Serbian roots. This puts Switzerland in a more exposed position than in other conflicts. Furthermore, it maintains good contacts with numerous interested parties.
“Switzerland has a great interest in resolving the disputes between Serbia and Kosovo peacefully, sustainably and according to the rule of law,” says Salvisberg.
Bern has also participated in the Kosovo Security Force (KFOR) since 1999 with the Swisscoy contingent. This force remains the ultimate guarantor of Kosovo's security and represents the largest Swiss contingent in any peacekeeping mission. /Adapted from NZZ/
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