Posted on 01/26/2007 2:10:30 PM PST by kronos77
The plan submitted by Martti Ahtisaari, U.N. envoy for Kosovo, is expected to fall short of granting full independence, but it should allow Kosovo more control over its own affairs and open it to membership of institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
So, what brought on this "western spinelessness", asks Jonathan Steels in Britain's Guardian. After all, NATO countries readily went to war with Serbia in 1999 over the issue of Kosovo and now the same countries are wavering over Kosovo's independence. There are three reasons for this, according to Steele. First is Western "post-bombing guilt" that made the West "(woo) Serbia on all fronts". Second is a desire to appease the supposed pro-European forces within Serbia. And third, there's the need to show Russia the West is willing to compromise.
The sooner Kosovo gets its independence, the better, The Wall Street Journal argues. Ultimately, what Athisaari is doing is prolonging the "Bosniaisation of Kosovo", it says. This means bankrolling "another ethnically riven Balkan dependency for the next decade or more".
The paper admits that the province suffers from "common Balkan ailments such as crime and poverty", that its politicians haven't helped by "badly mismanaging the few areas of self-rule granted them by the U.N." and that it failed to create a safe environment for the minority Serbian population. But it brushes these issues aside and concludes that Kosovo has great potential because of its many young, entrepreneurial people.
Belgrade should be "coaxed into accepting reality" before Kosovo is granted official independence, although de facto independence is already in place, says Britain's Times. The paper also believes this to be the best way to avoid more violence in "an historically volatile region".
(Excerpt) Read more at alertnet.org ...
Damn Serbs! You descided to live in place where we want to create Islamic state!
Serbia PM Kostunica refused to meet Aktisaari, claiming that his goverment cannot debate future of Serbia, and that that is upon new goverment to deal with, when created.
Kosovo has great potential because of its many young, ENTREPRENEURIAL PEOPLE.
What a laugh!!
Drug dealers, pimps, organized crime.
The NATO countries could have setup all the Albanian drug dealers, pimps, and organized crime members in seaside villas in Albania for a lot less than they spent on bombing and "peacekeeping"!
Sp, I take that you dont agree with YourMarxistBrainWasher.com ?
Sarc. off
:)
The US isn't moving on this because they need the Russians who oppose Kosovo independence on issues like Iran, North Korea and energy security. The E who know the albanians only too well from their lawless violent record in their own countries, will take this one and they will sit on the necks of the albanians in Kosovo for decades. More Serbs will die because the albanians will rampage...it is a recipe for occupation EU bureaucratic style...and we have seen how effective that is in Bosnia. I, for one am not hopeful for either Serb or albanian in Kosovo.
So, is Bush gonna sell you Serbs out to the Muslims?
Like Clinton and Tudjman did the Bosnian Croats?
No. But I guess Bush is handing Kosovo over to the Muslims.
Bush has nothing to do with it. The ball is in Russia's court.
Serbia may loose, but they didn't go willingly like the Bosnian Croats.
Your hatred for Serbs is comical!!!
of course Bush has everything to do with it. bush can veto it.
Bush can veto what?
Bush can't veto Russia's veto.
Are you saying Bush might veto a UN resolution for Kosovo independence?
???
Dicletian ment that Bush can veto Albanian Islamic state of Kosovo.
But I dont belive that he will
Is his inaction any indication?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.