The US and others have raised Kosovo’s expectations of independence - making compromise more difficult
Ian Bancroft, All Ian Bancroft articles
Despite a somewhat disappointing turnout of 43% in elections on November 17, Kosovo’s newly elected prime minister, Hashim Thaci, a former guerrilla commander and now leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), proudly and confidently proclaimed that “the citizens of Kosovo sent the world a message … that Kosovo is ready (for) independence”.
In response, Europe’s warnings against a unilateral declaration of independence finally became audible, with Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt speculating that: “I don’t think they (Kosovo Albanians) want to be independent from the international community.”
With talks in Austria having ended in stalemate and further meetings unlikely to see any further progress towards a compromise, a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo Albanians is expected within three months of December 10 - the date on which the Troika will report back to UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon. It is this outcome and the instability that it will generate throughout the Western Balkans and beyond that could have been prevented had negotiations over Kosovo’s status created space and pressure for alternative proposals, the basis for which is provided by UN security council resolution 1244.
Though Wolfgang Ischinger, the EU’s Troika representative, maintained that “the two sides must realise that they cannot get 100% of what they are asking for”, the US’s unequivocal support for independence has diminished the scope for concession and compromise. During a visit to Albania in June, prior to the current round of talks that began at the end of August, President Bush declared that “sooner rather than later you’ve got to say ‘enough’s enough, Kosovo’s independent’,” and urged that any extension of status talks must have “certain independence” as the outcome.
This statement was augmented by US under-secretary of state for political affairs, Nicholas Burns, speaking about the inevitability of independence and how there was no alternative to the
As Thomas Fleiner, legal adviser to the Serbian Kosovo team, firmly maintains: “The text of the resolution is quite clear to any lawyer and it calls for respect of sovereignty and search of a solution for Kosovo only within the essential autonomy framework”, and as such, “every decision that would step out of that framework will require a consensus of both sides and an amendment to resolution 1244″.
It is on this basis that Serbia has outlined various models of “essential autonomy” for Kosovo, based on the examples of Hong Kong and Finland’s Swedish-speaking Åland Islands. Under these proposals, Serbia would offer Kosovo complete self-government, direct access to certain international and regional organisations, the right to use its own symbols and the ability to open foreign trade and cultural missions abroad. As Serbian president Boris Tadic argues: “We are offering to Kosovo Albanians the best possible rights, which means the largest autonomy in the world, (including) some elements of sovereign countries, for example access to international financial institutions.”
The status of Kosovo is a European issue and Europe must now be prepared to contend with the consequences of a unilateral declaration of independence that they have in part engineered by failing to do enough to encourage a softening of the respective stances of each side. This declaration will invariably prompt Serb communities in Kosovo, particularly those in Mitrovica, to sever ties with Pristina, potentially leading to the de facto partitioning of Kosovo. Belgrade is likely to respond with economic measures, including the cutting of power supplies, closure of its borders with Kosovo, travel restrictions, a trade embargo and legal challenges to privatisation measures, further undermining Kosovo’s already weak and largely informal economy. In the absence of a revised UN security council resolution, the planned deployment of an ESDP mission would be at the invitation of the Kosovo government and therefore deprived of much of its authority. Emphasising and reiterating the disadvantages of a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo, only now that negotiations have stalled, appears to be somewhat of a desperate afterthought.
Given the publicly stated, diametrically opposed stances of Russia and the US regarding the issue of independence for Kosovo, the EU occupies a pivotal role in the status negotiations. By failing to distance itself from the US’s unreserved support for independence, however, the EU has contributed to diluting the scope for constructive dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia; both of which have aspirations of eventually becoming EU members. This perspective of membership provides the EU with significant leverage in the Western Balkans, but it is a leverage that must be used constructively and in accordance with UN security council resolutions. What these negotiations have again illustrated is the weakness of European foreign policy in the face of US-Russian rivalry and questions of autonomy and self-determination in the former Yugoslavia. Its failure to adequately contend with the issue of Kosovo means that Europe must now be prepared for the dynamic of instability that a unilateral declaration of independence will create.
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It really is not Russian and American rivalry but more Russian and NATO rivallry . Putin did not say he was going home and realgn his missiles to strike the United States . He said they will be set for europe and Germany . I cant say i object to this idaea after all Germany started all this . by aiding the destruction of Yugoslavia . United States has threatend the E. U, with if we cant have our way , we may just pull out . That is indeed a wonderfull idea . get out of NATO america right now ! before the shit hits the fan . NATO and The E U . are the biggest and most powerfull force on the continent . They do not need United States looking over their shoulder ,helping them cuase trouble . If the nazi’s get in trouble thats their problem .
Comment by eric — December 7, 2007 #
Thaci after expeelling about 20 % of Kosovo’s population and terrorising the remaining Albanians for eight yrs . He
recived a 16% mandate for independence of Kosovo If you believe the people He expelled would probabley not have voted for him either . He recieved less than a 13% mandate . Kosovo is only a province in Serbia and if the whole country of Serbia is considered this shrinks the !3% mandate to about a two or 3% mandate . Hillary Clinton and President Bush say this has gone on long enough . The people of Kosovo , the 13% majority have spoken Russia and Serbia our maybe both willing to go to war to Prevent this 2 or3% from getting the freedom they want to rule
Kosovo . The United States and its Allies have droped over a billion dolars worth of bombs on Serbia in the pretense of establishing a new muslim country assocated with Al Qaeda
to have a democracy in Serbia with a 3 % mandate.
If this sounds like democracy to you , keep your son or daughter in Kosovo . If you dont believe United States should help a muslim Terrorist take over a country with 3 %
mandate , better bring your kids home . It will do no good to write your congressmen becuase the Albanian terrorists are the worlds biggest drug dealers , This means they have luandered a lot of money to United States congressmen and political parties . Its been rumered Russia has been offer 60 billion of your dolars to forget about Serbia . Putin answered Russia has decided to return to her historic Judo christian values and be more concerned about whats right and wrong , We intend to help Serbia .
This is going to be a big embarassment for the United States , Maybe so big they would rather endure a full scale nuclear war . After looking at what happend to Yugoslavia . I believe Russia is scared and preparing to go all the way , or as far as they have to on helping Serbia . No matter what, Russia has prospered enough to feel like inserting itself confidently onto the world stage again , Iam happy they are back . This one power rule wasnt at all as great as we thought it would be . Now maybe we can have some checks and balances on raw politically correct power . You came back to late for Yugoslavia , but just in time for Serbia
Comment by eric — December 8, 2007 #
Obviously Dardania has read only Ilir’s comments and not the rest. My compliments go out to all the Serbs who are not wasting their time on this site but defending our sacred cause. The same cause that our forefathers fought for against the Turks, the Teutons, the Albanians and the cowardly NATO forces who were sent by a loser named Clinton!
Comment by Michel — May 21, 2008 #
I think that we Serbs have pretty much won that old argument about “objectivity” since we have been joined in this Forum by unsolicited Albanians. We, Serbs, do not claim to be neutral, not if every issue concerns us. But our occasional lapses hurt us among some of the very people the Serbian Unity Congress is meant for. I have sometimes heard it said that it will be a sorry day for the Serbian Unity Congress, if it ever runs out of enemies. I consider it a remote possibility, though. We do have some enemies to be proud of, and we want to keep them. We also have some unnecessary enemies whom we acquired carelessly. But that’s expected!
Comment by Michel — May 22, 2008 #
Here’s some latest news from Kosovo-Metohija that I garnered from the Serbian Government website:
Serbian returnee assaulted in Decane
Belgrade, May 22, 2008 – The Serbian Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija and the Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija stated today that an unidentified Albanian has assaulted Serbian returnee Bozidar Tomic (75) in the centre of Decane and caused him minor bodily injuries.
The fifty-year old Albanian stopped Tomic at the entrance of Decane and upon hearing that he is of Serbian nationality, attacked him and punched him in the face several times.
A few citizens who were near reacted and chased away the attacker, and Tomic, who reported the attack to the police station in Decane, was released home after a medical examination in the local health community centre.
Tomic and another two Serbs who retuned to Decane have not had any problems since then and the police have still not managed to identify the attacker.
Coordinator for the Decani municipality Zoran Barovic told the International Press Centre of the Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija in Kosovska Mitrovica that young men from a nearby café stopped their compatriot from inflicting further injury to the Serbian returnee.
Barovic said that by committing such attacks Albanians are sending a clear message to the Serbs that they are not welcome in Kosovo-Metohija.
Tomic, who returned to Decane in January with Milanka Popovic and Vesna Milic, is resolved to remain in Decane, wait for the works on his house to be completed and continue living in the town he was born in.
Comment by Michel — May 23, 2008 #