Sunday, February 19, 2006

Serbia threatens to resist Kosovo independence plan

Ian Traynor Vienna
Monday February 20, 2006
The Guardian

Almost seven years after Nato bombers drove Serbian forces out of Kosovo, negotiations finally start today to determine what is to become of the Balkan province.
With the majority ethnic Albanian population clamouring for independence and Serbia threatening to declare Kosovo "occupied territory" should it lose the province, the talks are certain to be bitter and probably doomed to failure in getting a settlement that suits both sides.

Anticipating deadlock, a respected thinktank recommended that the international community "impose" independence on the UN-administered region.



In a detailed study issued on Friday, the Brussels-based International Crisis Group predicted that Serbia would refuse to yield Kosovo independence. "To create a stable Kosovo, the international community must dare to impose independence rather than attempting to finesse differences with an ambiguous and unstable settlement," the ICG report recommended.
Under the auspices of the UN envoy and former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, the negotiations are to open today in Vienna, concentrating initially on issues of "decentralisation", a codeword for securing the rights of the remaining Serbian minority in an Albanian-dominated Kosovo.

In the run-up to the negotiations, hectic diplomatic activity has been going on behind the scenes, all of it suggesting that the main international powers have already decided that Kosovo will be declared independent by the end of the year, albeit with conditions attached and with an international military presence.

A UN security council debate on Kosovo last week heard that the Kosovan Albanians were still not doing enough to meet the democratic and human rights standards demanded of them. Nonetheless, US, British and French officials all urged a quick settlement, with a British official declaring that independence was probably the only option for Kosovo.

John Sawers, the political director of the Foreign Office, triggered howls of outrage in Serbia earlier this month when he told Serbian leaders that they would lose Kosovo. The main US official dealing with Kosovo, Frank Wisner, sent the same message to the Serbs last week, telling Belgrade that losing Kosovo would strengthen Serbia in the long run.

The status quo is seen as untenable, simultaneously stoking Albanian frustration and Serbian nationalism and grievance - a recipe for future conflict.

The Serbian government in Belgrade is seeking to damage the prospects of independence by refusing to allow the Serbian minority in Kosovo to integrate and to take part in government. The Serbs are offering full autonomy for Kosovo, but insist it must remain part of Serbia.

President Boris Tadic of Serbia argued last week that the issue of Kosovo independence should be shelved for 20 years, a proposal that is unacceptable to the Albanians and the international powers.

The Serbian nationalist leader, Tomislav Nikolic, said he had reached a deal with prime minister Vojislav Kostunica to declare Kosovo "occupied territory" and to resist by "all possible means" any outside imposition of a separate and independent Kosovo.

European leaders hope that Serbian opposition can be bought off with promises of greater integration with - and eventual membership of - the EU for Serbia. But the dynamic could also go the other way, with a nationalist Serbian backlash returning the country to the international pariah status it suffered under the Milosevic regime in the 1990s.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gents, if i were you i would vote for Ceda Jovanovic. I wish we had a guy like that in Kosova. Maybe, Albin Kurti but we're waiting. I imagine a day when our Prime Kurti will meet your Prime Ceda in some resort like Brezovica in the Sharr mountains and in a modern European way they sign treaties for a new highway bt Prishtina and Nish, better crossborder cooperation, better trade, economic and security deals! That will be the day when we will act like Europeans and finally, be, Europeans!

Anonymous said...

Serbia needs to treat its minorities as people, first the minorities in Vojvodina who have been bombed by Serbian nationalists. The Albanians in the south being discriminated, and the Army base right next to their house, you can only expect "democratic values" being practiced.

You know Serbs are very closed minded when one persons opinions cause such a big rile up. It's time to grow up Serbia, Kosova will be free...the end. Serbia has so much to pay to all its victims. You know how many old citizens of Kosova haven't gotten their pension that Serbia is obligated to pay? All the money for their burned homes, and mosques. Belgrade still hasn't apollogized for all the victims, or ever mentioned the massacre of 52 members of the Jashari Family.

And look now, "Serbia threatens to resist Kosovo independence plan". Okay, you declare Independence of Kosova unacceptable, and you make threats, what's next? Oh I know, Belgrade will be rebombed again. Wake up Belgrade, mature, then learn that it's the 21st century. Read this link below and enjoy it. It's the truth and it's unbiased, no one is the loser or winner, it talks about present day RAHOVEC, Kosova, and the people (Serbs and Albanians_ living there.

http://www.cafebabel.com/en/article.asp?T=T&Id=6047

~Anonymous

Anonymous said...

"Or is it your media that only enhances further hate toward the Serbs?"

What kind of a fucking idiot are you? I have yet to read something about Vojvodina in any Albanian media period. Where I get my information is from the internet, dumbass. You can't tell me they are lies because I am reading about SERBS throwing bombs at peoples houses, the minorities.

ANd no I'm sorry, I think the world is creating further hate on "POOR, INNOCENT, UNARMED, SERBS, WHO ARE ONLY HERE TO SERVE GOD AND GO TO HEAVEN".

"If the whole world doesn'T mind because of it, who are to bitch about it?"
We will see how you feel when a new base is opened in North Mitrovia and Serbs are being closely watched with snipes like my brothers in Preshevë. Your country by opening a base their shows how immoral and terroristic are by wanting to kill all Albanians. We all know you hate us, you've made countless attempts to bring your fellow "classmates" and retake our land.

"
"Serbia threatens to resist Kosovo independence plan"

read some more news besides from Coha ditore, and you will see that that's not the government position.
"

You are a complete FUCKING idiot, what i said is from the top, read the headline dumbfuck or do i need to show you pictures for you to understand??

COHA DITORE? LMAO. You mean KOHA. That's not the government position? So are you saying serbia is going to welcome independece? Make up your mind, stop flip-flopping.

"No problem, but are also ready to apolodize for the Serbian homes and churches that were destroyed by the KLA, etc? Are you alos ready to apologize for the Serbian victims of your KLA? Are you ready as every market liberal democratic country to enforce property rights and give back to the Serbs and the Serbian Orthodox Church its property? If not, then you're alos far away from the 21st century."

Okay, since you've never been to Kosova and seem to be special and slow, I will take it easy with you. KLA doesn't exist anymore, the houses that were damaged was because of vandals. My government has been reconstructing Serb homes, whether you like to believe it or not. But if they don't like them, they can go to Serbian camps in Belgrade (wherever) and enjoy life. Kosova will never apollogize for the "SERBIAN VICTIMS". One because they were the most support Sloba ever got, and two they were involved in mass killings in Kosova. Let's not forgett they also took our jobs with force. And schools. I'd really love to go on, but I think you get my point. Serbs seem always kind to help the army with mass killings, like Srebenica.

Now, Orthodox churches will now have some of their property confescated. The lands that were ursurped by force. If the people (nuns and fathers/bishops) who work for the Orthodox Chruch are holy then how come not one ever came out to speak about what everything was happening for a century? Not one said "Serbia look out your treating albanians unfairly".

"If not, then you're alos far away from the 21st century."
I'm pretty sure your living in the 6/7th century.

"Sure we will apologize for the Jashari family, when Americans also apologize to the Bin Laden family."
There are 2 differences, Jashari's family was MOTHA-FUCK** MASSACRED. while all LADINS are STILL ARE BEATHING. Cvijus you are really somehting I tell you, when I think that you are the future of Serbia I really get scared.

Anonymous said...

"Since I come from Vojvodina I don't know what is happening in my courtyard, even when naked beaten up Serbs by Hungarians are found in Zrenjanin and nobody even thinks of ethnic hatred."

Boy, Serbs men must really have their sexuality suppressed. When they are mistreated by Hungarians and Albanians, they either end up naked or raped. And then as usual, patriarch has to cry hysterically about the suppression over the ages of poor Serbs at the hand of man-raping unbelievers.

Seriously now. Cvijus, if you really think you're doing a great job in the Presheva Valley, then you have nothing to fear (but fear itself). Let's give Serbs around Kosova and Albanians in Belgrade and Presheva Valley equal treatment. If we both are so for good treatment of minorities, I don't understand why we are arguing here.

Anonymous said...

"Or shall we start equal treatment?"

I hear where you and 99% is going has nice equal treatments. Have fun with Sloba and Hitler in hell.

tung shka (bye, scum)

~Anonymous

Anonymous said...

Mir, 99+1=100.

tung Mir

~Anonymous

Anonymous said...

wow so much hatred.
And so many different points of view, it's not surprising really that stuff gets so heated!
As far as I can tell people from both sides have done some terrible, terrible things. I've been reading some blogs and message boards, and I'm starting to understand (only starting, mind! I have a long way to go!) a bit more about this hatred. It seems to me that people on both sides are angry about what has been done to them, and afraid about what might happen in the future. Right? I can't even imagine what it's like to live through something like this - please be patient with me in explaining how you feel about your experiences!

Anonymous said...

All u serbs can cry and shit back in Serbia. Kosova is about to get independence and so is montenegro. Where will that leave Serbia? A landlocked piece of shit country that will never move anywhere economically or politically because it still harbors war criminals like karadzic and mladic. Who the hell do you think you are to compare the Bin Laden family with the Jashari's. Adem Jashari was a freedom fighter, his people were oppressed under the serbs. What did you want him to do when his village and neighbors were dying? Wait unti it hopefully goes away. The fact of the matter is that Serbian homes and churches were burned down because you guys brought it on yourselves. My grandfather tells me stories about how he wasn't allowed to speak Albanian in the schools in Prishtina because the Serbs would jail him if he did. Even though he was part of the 92%. He also tells me stories that his father told him of the time when Albania and Kosova were one. Before 1913. He said that Albanians lived peacfully and we were allowed to speak our mother tongue. We once had the land of the illyrians united ,and we eventually will again!

Anonymous said...

Anthony, Just out of curiousity. You say albania and kosovo were one before it was serbian. Than why are there over 1000 serbian orthodox churches and hardly any mosques there? And the churches date back over a thousand years ago? Your logic makes no sense. There is no evidence of kosovo ever being albanian land but there is mountains of evidence that it was and is SERBIAN. Furthermore, the only reason Albanians make up the majority is because of Tito's policy when he came to power and his attempts and weakening serb power and changing borders and moving people around. Study your history. Another important factor is the fact that MANY were ILLEGAL immigrants just like the mexicans here in the U.S. And finally, the Albanians breed like rabbits while Serbs avg 1 or 2 children....Albanians average more than 5!!!!