Welcome guest in Belgrade and Pristina and mandatory interlocutor in Washington: Who is Damon Wilson

Kosovo was a predominant topic, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic wrote on Instagram, among other things, after his meeting with Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson in New York earlier in the week.

Over the recent period, Wilson has become a welcome guest in both Belgrade and Pristina, as well as a mandatory interlocutor with representatives of the two sides during their visits to the United States. Who is Wilson, who's resume includes working in the NATO secretary general's office, but also in the US National Security Council?

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"Kosovo was also the predominant topic during the talks with the Executive Vice President at the Atlantic Council Damon Wilson. Protection of interests of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija and preservation of vital national and state interests of Serbia remained the backbone of my efforts during the talks with Mr. Wilson," Vucic wrote on Instagram after the meeting.

 

 

 

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"Kosovo je bilo dominantna tema i na razgovoru sa izvršnim potpredsednikom Atlantskog saveta Dejmonom Vilsonom. Zaštita interesa srpskog naroda na Kosovu i Metohiji i očuvanje vitalnih nacionalnih i državnih interesa Srbije bile su suština mog zalaganja u razgovoru sa g-dinom Vilsonom". - predsednik Vučić i izvršni potpredsednik Atlantskog saveta Dejmon Vilson. . . . "Kosovo was also the predominant topic during the talks with the Executive Vice President at the Atlantic Council Damon Wilson. Protection of interests of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija and preservation of vital national and state interests of Serbia remained the backbone of my efforts during the talks with Mr Wilson". - President Vučić and the Executive Vice President at the Atlantic Council Damon Wilson.A post shared by Aleksandar Vučić (@buducnostsrbijeav) on Aug 21, 2019 at 7:01am PDT

Recently, Wilson's visits to Belgrade and Pristina have been noticeable, as well as his statements regarding a solution to the Kosovo knot.

In December last year, Wilson had a conversation with Hashim Thaci in Washington DC, to travel to Kosovo and Metohija in late May.

"In order to reach a final and comprehensive solution in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, great compromises are needed," he told Pristina newspaper Koha Ditore at the time.

Wilson said that neither Brussels nor Washington should impose a solution to the problem. He previously proposed a new strategy for the US to implement in the Balkans, to avoid Russian influence, and to promote reforms that allow integration into Euro-Atlantic structures.

Wilson then traveled to Belgrade from Pristina, meeting in the Palace of Serbia with Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic, after which Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told him about Pristina's moves that are detrimental to the dialogue.

Wilson's statements followed, stressing that he believed Serbia would recognize Kosovo's independence, and that there was now a historic chance for the two sides to reach an agreement, with political leaders with a vision, and coordinated support from the US and Europe. He also believes that Vucic would "politically survive" if he recognized Kosovo.

Despite stalled Belgrade-Pristina talks, we found lots of focus on building a better future here in Serbia; @AtlanticCouncil #BalkansForward wraps up Belgrade visit: pic.twitter.com/w5c8QK673o— Damon M. Wilson (@DamonMacWilson) May 30, 2019

This 36-year-old came to the Atlantic Council after working for the White House and US administration. He is now in charge of strategy and strategic initiatives of the organization, a US think tank for international relations.

According to his official biography, Wilson's work is dedicated to the advancement of Europe as a whole, with particular emphasis on the East of Europe, the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region; strengthening NATO; and nurturing a transatlantic partnership capable of tackling global challenges and promoting its shared values.

From 2007 to 2009, Wilson served as special assistant to the president of the United States and senior director for European Affairs at the National Security Council. He was in charge of inter-agency policy on NATO, the European Union, Georgia, Ukraine, the Balkans, Eurasian energy security and Turkey, and planned numerous presidential visits to Europe, including US-EU and NATO summits.

Previously, Wilson served in the US embassy in Baghdad as executive secretary and chief of staff, where he helped manage one of the largest US embassies in the world.

Prior to this, from 2004 to 2006 he served on the National Security Council as director of Central, Eastern and Northern European Affairs. During this time, Wilson strengthened ties with the German chancellor.

From 2001 to 2004, Wilson served as deputy director of the NATO secretary general's Office, assisting Lord George Robertson in his effort to transform the Alliance by expanding NATO membership.

His CV also stated that he supported the role of secretary-general in the successful effort to prevent a civil war in Macedonia.

Wilson began his service in the US State Department by helping coordinate policies to adapt NATO to the modern security challenges and planning the Alliance's 50th Anniversary Summit in Washington during the Kosovo conflict.

Photo: Tanjug/Zoran Zestic

The Atlantic Council has been described by the White House as the fastest growing think tank, Jelena Milic, president of the Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies (CEAS), told Telegraf.rs.

"I think it 's a strategically great decision for Serbia to intensively cooperate with centers that are of neither Democratic nor Republican orientation," said Milic, and explained:

"Even though there is a Republican administration in the White House, there is also a very strange Congress, with these new left-wing, so-called progressives, which is why cooperation with the US Atlantic Council is not bad, on the contrary, it's very positive."

Milic says, knowing about Wilson's influence and the role he plays in the Ohrid group and in Montenegro, the meetings with top Greek officials, and the respect for Serbia's military neutrality, that Vucic made a very smart decision to cooperate with the Atlantic Council.

"Daniel Fried is also there, who is now advocating a compromise solution that will keep Serbia on the path to the EU and strengthen bilateral relations with the US. These people who have mechanisms and know how to market a message. These are the people whose reports end up on the desks of decision-makers in America," stressed Milic.

She added that it is very important for Serbia's presence in the US to be as visible as possible, especially if this US administration has an understanding for Belgrade's positions - as everyone is pointing out that there can be no solution without Washington.

M. Ivas (marko.ivas@telegraf.rs)