Posted on 03/03/2003 7:50:05 PM PST by Destro
03.03.2003 23:00 UTC
UN's Steiner invites Belgrade for Kosovo talks
The U.N.'s Kosovo administrator initiated the first talks between Belgrade and Pristina for over three years on Monday. Kosovo came under U.N. administration in 1999 after a NATO air war to halt Serb repression of its majority ethnic Albanian population during Slobodan Milosevic's rule. In a letter to Serbia's government, Kosovo administrator Michael Steiner said the talks should start next week in Pristina with a ministerial delegation from Belgrade and representatives of the U.N. administration and Kosovo's institutions. The initiative came a week after Steiner rejected an appeal by Belgrade for talks on Kosovo's future status and on full implementation of a U.N. resolution envisaging the return of a limited number of Serb forces to the province.
Why did the UN's Kosovo Kraut reverse himself? Did someone lite a fire under his ass?
Breaking: Grenade damages three U.N. police cars in Kosovo's tense north
This caveat, however, is also problematic. Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, speaking to Belgrade's B-92 radio station on February 27, complained: "I think it is time to stop applying double standards. When they ask us to cooperate with the Hague court, because this is an organ of the U.N. Security Council which we respect, then let us ask who is obliged to implement the resolution adopted by that same Security Council on the return of a thousand Serbian soldiers and police to Kosovo Why is it not yet time for the return of Serbs to Kosovo while it is always time to implement decisions of the Hague Tribunal?"
In Djindjic's opinion, Kosovo has been on the backburner precisely because it is not viewed as a pressing threat to international security. Thus, he concluded, "Because the international community only responds to crisis situations, my goal has been to establish Kosovo as a politically critical situation, because no one will respond to demands put at the diplomatic level."
Writing in NRO last fall, I warned: "The president's enthusiasm that all U.N. resolutions vis-à-vis Iraq be implemented immediately, and without delay, may come back to haunt the United States, when presented with evidence of other mandates similarly left unenforced. Security Council Resolution 1244 calls for the return of all refugees to Kosovo and mandates the province remain a part of Yugoslavia. The administration should think very carefully about all the ramifications of assuming the mantle of the 'enforcer' of U.N. resolutions. Tread carefully." I'd only repeat that now.
Thsi includes residency, voting, etc. etc
Painfully true, I just can't believe it was Djindjic who said it. Apparently he finally figured out sucking up doesn't work. Well, I hope his eventual successor is as considerate to him as he was to Slobo...
Guess there's a real crack in the US-German relations these days.
Ironically, forcing Stainer into being more active is in the interests of both the Serbs and Kosovo Albanian, even if for differing reasons. The Albos want their 'Greater Albania' and the UN out, Djindjic needs re-election and will stab the Kosovo Serbs in the back to get it (very balkans). Both sides know that what 'Europe' does best is fudge (i.e. Cyprus) and it is in neithers interests to keep it so. Once the EU and it's partners admit they lied about 1244 (never), they will try and sweeten the pill, maybe accelerated talks on S&M's accession to the EU or low interest loans (the usual).
VRN
Treatment like Stambolich received? ;)
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