Thaçi confirms Kosovo will proclaim independence on Sunday

AFP via translation | February 16, 2007

[HAL9000]

via translation -

ALERT - Kosovo: Thaçi confirms a proclamation of independence Sunday

PRISTINA (Serbia) - Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi confirmed Saturday that the independence of the province in southern Serbia was proclaimed Sunday, when he said "the will of the citizens of Kosovo" will be executed.

[maquiladora]

Is Serbia expected is respond in some way or what are the implications? Haven’t been keeping up to speed on this.

[Uncle Ike]

” what are the implications “

The US is (wrongheadedly, IMO) backing the Kosovars, while Russia has indicated that they’re firmly in the Serb camp....

(Remembering history — Sarajevo was the flash-point that kicked off ‘The War to End All Wars’ back in 1914 or so)

[HAL9000]

I think this matter is strongly influenced by the current tensions between the U.S. and Russia.

[Uncle Ike]

Yep — hence my reference to WWI....

That, also, was a minor dustup between minor bit-players (in the same part of the world) with some powerful alliances, and it got out of control...

The historical parallel verges on ‘eerie’.....

[bill1952]

What can Serbia do as long as the armed presence of Big Brother is lodged in Kosovo to "protect" them?

[Bobalu]

I am 100% in favor of the Serbs in this matter.
This is the rare time when Russia is right and we are wrong.

[Bobalu]

I am 100% in favor of the Serbs in this matter.
This is the rare time when Russia is right and we are wrong.

[cake_crumb]

The War That Clinton Won _{TM ® © 1998} continues to bite the world in the nether regions.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

In recent threads I have seen statistics that the current population of Kosovo is 95% Albanian and 5% Serbian. If this is true then it will probably require a full scale war between Russia and NATO to keep Kosovo inside Serbia. Such a war would very likely end up with an exchange of nuclear weapons.

[cake_crumb]

And once again I firmly agree with Putin on this. Only thing I’ve ever agreed with him on. The best thing the US could do is let the UN continue to try to contain this mess started by Clinton in order not to SUCCEED at starting WWIII this time around.

[cake_crumb]

Isn’t that at least partly because, aided by the KLA we dislocated thousands of Serbs from their Kosovo homes so the “ethnic Albanians” KLA could take their rightful places in the newly undisputed territory after Clinton Won the War?

[moonman]

"This is the rare time when Russia is right and we are wrong."

I remember reading an article about 5 years ago comparing freedoms in Russia & America. Russians had substantially more. America is choked with laws and regulations.

Even our Bill of Rights have eroded and/or under attack every day. Seems like the only right we have, is the right to lose everything. Ben Franklin was definately correct!

[Truth29]

"Is Serbia expected is respond in some way or what are the implications? Haven?t been keeping up to speed on this."

I have read elsewhere that Serbia and Russia are in discussions about establishing a Russian base in Serbia. Maybe other FReepers can comment on the specifics. I don’t know if anything will come of this, but Serbia needs Russian support to stand up to the EU and NATO. I suspect that any reaction will be economic and not military. The US has succeeded in creating a terrorist mini-state in Europe - the world turned upside down.

[Uncle Chip]

I support the Serbs and Russians on this one. NATO’s presence there is a violation of its charter. It should get out immediately and let the Serbs take their property back from the Albanian/KLA terrorists. This is the most absurd thing our government has ever done —

[Cacique]

using that rationale we should give independence to every part of the us that is 95% something other than american such as the southwest.

[AliVeritas]

So Putin has no ties to the jihadists there?

[Fiji Hill]

I have read elsewhere that Serbia and Russia are in discussions about establishing a Russian base in Serbia.

How would Russia get access to Serbia? The country has been land locked since Montenegro, which provided its only access to the Adriatic Sea, became independent in 2006.

[horse_doc]

It won't require a full-scale war.

The Euros will run for the hills, as soon as hostilities break out.

And the American public doesn't have the stomach for another war, right now.

That leaves the Serbs, backed by Russia, and the Kosovars, backed by the Jihadis. I'll put my money on the Serbs, in the long run.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

using that rationale we should give independence to every part of the us that is 95% something other than american such as the southwest.

In actual fact if any signifigant part of the US was 95% in favor of secession from the union, it would be given independence. One reason the Confederacy didn't succeed in its secession is that it was no where near 95% in favor of secession, and that is without considering the opinions of the blacks.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

comparing freedoms in Russia & America. Russians had substantially more.

Any article making such an analysis would be either dishonest or lunatic.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

I suspect that any reaction will be economic and not military.

If reaction will not be military, what use would the Russians have for a MILITARY base?

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

And the American public doesn't have the stomach for another war, right now.

All the more reason for the US to use methods sufficient to stop the Russians and not requiring additional troops. One thing is certain, Russia will NOT be allowed to expand its presence to the Mediterranean. A Russian Mediterranean would be considered a threat to the existence of the US, and responded to in the appropriate manner.

[blinachka]

Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi confirmed Saturday that the independence of the province in southern Serbia was proclaimed Sunday, when he said "the will of the citizens of Kosovo" will be executed.

Ugh! This man is a terrorist and murderer. And it is HE that ought to be "executed" (along with Ceku!).

[norton]

It might be a measure of America's attention span.

But there are some really odd history questions and opinions on this thread...

And, while it could just be a side effect of age - ten years does not seem so very long to me.

[GAB-1955]

“What can Serbia do as long as the armed presence of Big Brother is lodged in Kosovo to “protect” them?”

Do what they have in every other case of split up in the former Yugoslavia; have the Serbian majority areas try to secede from the new state. There is a corner of Kosovo in the northeast that is contiguous with the rest of Serbia.

In addition, they can try an economic boycott of Kosovo, refusing to provide power or other key economic goods.

Thirdly, they will downgrade diplomatic ties with each state that recognizes Kosovo.

There are other strategies that are more chancy: calling on Russian forces to protect their remaining corner of Kosovo. This is chancy because now Serbia is landlocked, and neighboring states could deny Russia overflight and ground routes to supply their army. I don’t know if Vladimir Vladmirovich wants to do the “Pristina Airlift” if he can’t get permission from Hungary or Croatia to reach Belgrade.

There are small forces in both Serbia and Kosovo who want to provoke a shooting war. I think the SFOR would squash that.

This is a bad business all around. There could have been diplomatic solutions reaching all the way back to February 1999 in Rambouillet, but one side or another — usually the Serbs, because they felt they had the most to lose — refused to compromise.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Without America bombing the hell out of Serbian elementary schools and hospitals, the Euroweenies will not have the guts to escalate.

The question is, will Jorge the Mexican follow Bubba in destroying the last strong people of Europe?

[Truth29]

"I suspect that any reaction will be economic and not military. If reaction will not be military, what use would the Russians have for a MILITARY base?"

The base could be for "show the flag" support" with no plans for real military action.

[Truth29]

"How would Russia get access to Serbia? The country has been land locked since Montenegro, which provided its only access to the Adriatic Sea, became independent in 2006."

Not all of the surrounding states are in favor of Kosovo independence. Some, like Bulgaria, for instance, might allow transit or overflight of a token Russian force to reach Serbia.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Some, like Bulgaria, for instance, might allow transit or overflight of a token Russian force to reach Serbia.

Bulgaria is a member of NATO and the European Union. Like other members of the EC it is about to lose control over its national sovereignty.

[Truth29]

Russian Mediterranean Naval Build-Up Challenges NATO Sixth Fleet Domination - Defense Update News Analysis.
Address:http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:of7y52hNEwMJ:www.defense-update.com/analysis/analysis_091207_navy.htm+russian+mediterranean+naval+base&hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF-8&strip=1

[E. Cartman]

What can Serbia do as long as the armed presence of Big Brother is lodged in Kosovo to "protect" them?

Russia is in a very good position to deal with European supporters of Kosovo independence. They have only to shut off their natural gas pipeline to Europe, and Putin is looking for an excuse for a showdown.

[E. Cartman]

I am 100% in favor of the Serbs in this matter. This is the rare time when Russia is right and we are wrong.

I've got to agree with you.

[Cold Heat]

Oh Boy......

This is akin to Taiwan declaring independence.

[E. Cartman]

All the more reason for the US to use methods sufficient to stop the Russians and not requiring additional troops. One thing is certain, Russia will NOT be allowed to expand its presence to the Mediterranean. A Russian Mediterranean would be considered a threat to the existence of the US, and responded to in the appropriate manner.

While I would normally agree with you, Russia now flush with petro-dollars [rubles?]is now in a very good position to challenge a United States strapped for cash because of our enlightened "free trade" policies.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

You are correct, the US is certainly wary of all Russian advances in the Mediterranean.

[E. Cartman]

Bulgaria is a member of NATO and the European Union. Like other members of the EC it is about to lose control over its national sovereignty.

I'm sure a rich Russia could easily persuade Bulgaria to have a change of heart. Such things are done all the time.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Europe has far more wealth than Russia, although it also has a dependency on Russian energy supplies. Russia only has oil wealth when it sells it to the EC. No energy for Europe means no wealth for Russia. The US has both more wealth and more military power than Russia. Putin does not have the horses to win militarily. If he tries to bluff his way to victory, he will be making the mistake Hitler made in 1938, and most people on the Earth will be killed.

[Curtis79]

Serbia has no choice, but to accept reality ...Kosovo is gone, at least for now. From the other side looks like Serbian Government is getting ready for long political battle for regaining the lost territory. Simple example of the Government decision to buy premium Internet location kosovo.com and invest in guerrilla marketing tells a lot. It is good news that finally is recognized that fighting with weapons is not productive and does not bring good results.

Curtis

[moonman]

Not so fast! Today's Russia does not have the intrusive government in place it had under Soviet rule. Even then, for instance, if a guy wanted to build a shed in his back yard, who would give him more hoops to jump over, the Soviet or your city government?

More ... How about a guy smoking a cigarette in a public outdoor area? A teacher hugging a student? Telling a ethnic or sexual preference joke? etc...