Thursday, June 23, 2005

Shala: Lesson from CoE Parliamentary Assembly

Blerim Shala, Zëri’s publisher, comments on the last meeting of the CoE Parliamentary Assembly.

What happened with the resolution of the Assembly, which was drastically changed from its first proposal, proves how urgent it is for Kosovo to organize and prepare for the stage of deciding its final status.

According to the text of the resolution, the Parliamentary Assembly tends to take on a political role it neither has nor can have, says Shala.

The good thing about the example in CoE is that it has made it clear to Kosovo’s political authorities that they should take important decisions over the weeks to come and that the coming period will be crucial for the fate of Kosovans.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Another country not supporting independence obviously;

Media Monitor

Romanian minister: Keeping Kosovo within S-M border 'only acceptable solution'
Jun 23, 2005, 20:05 GMT


Text of report in English by Romanian news agency Rompres

Bucharest, 23 June: Romania thinks that maintaining Kosovo within the borders of Serbia is the only acceptable solution to the situation in this province, Romanian Foreign Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu told Rompres after the meeting he had with Serbia's President Boris Tadic, who is on an official visit to Bucharest.

The Romanian chief diplomat said that he was informed by President Boris Tadic of the stage of the negotiations with the Albanian side and that he had assured him of Romania's support in solving this problem.

"Romania, together with the other countries in the area, has a much more constructive understanding of the situation in Kosovo and knows more details of the historical progress of this problem," said Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu. He emphasized the fact that the viewpoint of the countries in this region must be considered by all the international factors in charge of this province.

Ungureanu said too that Romania also supported the efforts made by Serbia and Montenegro with a view to attaining the two strategic aims of its foreign policy: the integration into NATO and the accession to the European Union.

The talks of the two officials also focused on the bilateral economic relations and the means to increase the volume of trade exchanges. In this respect the two officials agreed on organizing a Romanian-Serbian economic forum in Belgrade in July.

Source: Rompres news agency, Bucharest, in English 1705 gmt 23 Jun 05

BBC Mon EU1 EuroPol vgb

Anonymous said...

That's diplomacy to you my dear (above) blogger!

We do not expect countries like Greece and Rumania (and some others) to come forward and say we support the independence of Kosova. They are the “minnows” in the international scene. As long as western countries (i do not mean Greece or Rumania) come forward and recognise the right of Kosovars for self determination they will also follow.
We shall wait and see J
Faruki, uk

Anonymous said...

I would have to disagree and agree with you chris. I do believe that all of europe is afraid of a new Albanian nation,not because of power though. Europe is very phobic of certain kinds of people. Be it slav,turk,roma,or albanian. It is not hard to believe that countries,especially eu countries,would not want another renegade country broken away from the former yugoslavia.Countries like France and the Netherlands are afraid of immigration from the east of europe.Countries like grease and rumania are just servant dogs to the west who have to agree so that they could get a bone.Especially since rumania is so close to becoming a full fledged member of the eu.So are there albanophobics out there,absolutely.Not for fear of a powerful albanian state.But fear of immigration.And besides,Albania and Kosova are two seperate entities.Are we talking about the Greater Albania talk that these stupid serbs like to bring up.Because if we are then you're playing into the hand that the serbs want you to play into.

Anonymous said...

I disagree with Chris. It was not only the Serb policy that drove so many Serbs to Western Europe. It was also the anti-Serb climate at that time in the West that made it very easy for Kosovo Albanians to get a refugee status.

I see confirmed what I have said from the beginning: the only way for Kosovo to become independent is when the Kosovo Albanians make a deal with Serbia and leave the internationals out.

Let's face it:
- the international community still adheres to crazy idea that any changing of borders is bad for the rest of the world. They have driven the rest of Yugoslavia into the abyss with that idea but they still won't give up.
- both the Serbs and the Albanians can agree on the principle of ethnic borders. Both side have their maximalists too, but I believe that common sense can win.

Anonymous said...

Hey properly speaking people, you are not talking about cattle here; you are taking about living, breathing, internet-accessing, gun-carrying people that do not need the governments of Romania, Greece or the fucking eu to tell them under what government to live.

Everyone has the right to make a statment and exercise their vocal cords or their phalanges but in the end the right of the people for self-determination will overcome. This is regardless who agrees or disagrees with whom.

Anonymous said...

Yep, that is like me coming to your apartment and telling you that the kitchen will belong to your neighbour, and then moving on to the living room and telling you half of it goes to your other neighbour, and then going to the toilet and telling you, if you need to use the utilities, you need to ask for permission from the two neighbours...

Isn't it crazy? Albanian lands (are) that apartment, that has been cut up, Kosova is the living room, while Albania is the room with the nicer view.

Anonymous said...

We have already made a deal with them. We woke up and spoke the only language they understand, the language of the gun. Thankfully we had an interpreter in these talks, the US.
Finally we came to an agreement, they left, we came back.
See, dialogue is possible with the Serbs, especially when it's enscribed on cruise missles.