Conclusion

Abstract

This chapter offers a general conclusion of the book by summing up the main lessons to be drawn from the empirical studies. It aims to provide a summary as well as an outlook of Kosovo's foreign policy and bilateral relations. How do small states position themselves in international relations in order to defend their interests? What is their foreign policy? What place does Kosovo's foreign policy give to bilateral engagement, and for what purposes? What factors have shaped the foreign policy and the bilateral relations of Kosovo? Rather than recapitulating the various chapters presented in this edited book, this concluding chapter highlights several cross-cutting findings and suggests future research topics. The first section of the chapter looks at the foreign policy and bilateral relations of small and new/young states: the case of the Republic of Kosovo. The second section analyses the foreign policy and bilateral relations as a tool for further consolidation of Kosovo's statehood and the exercise of its sovereignty. The third and final section focuses on the priorities and outlook of Kosovo's foreign policy and bilateral relations.