Free Republic

"They [the Serbs] think that if there could be one kind of municipality with a Serb majority, they would feel more safety," he said. "So I proposed this simple plan for one city with two municipalities for an interim period of three years." But Dr. Rexhepi's plan is unpopular with both Serbs and Albanians. The Serbs want more than just an interim period of self-government and do not want to be linked to the more populous Albanian area in the south of Mitrovica. Albanians want a unified city and oppose a Serbian entity, believing it could be a first step...

The jihad in Serbia is one that is obscured in a particularly vexing way. Accordingly it must be emphasized that in alerting people to attacks on the Serbs, and to the destruction of ancient churches and monasteries, and on the infiltration into the area of Arabs bringing a brand of Islam quite different from the relaxed, syncretistic local version (not exactly full-bodied Islam in practice, because that local practice was affected by the centuries of proximity to non-Muslims, and to the effect of Communism), one is not endorsing any massacres by some Serbs. One can distance oneself --most Serbs do,...

BELGRADE (AP)--Serbia's prime minister pledged at a military parade Saturday that his country will never give up Kosovo, describing the province as "the heart" of Serbia and vowing to prevent its possible secession. Vojislav Kostunica spoke as fighter jets flew low over downtown Belgrade, where virtually the entire state leadership attended a grandiose graduation ceremony for about 200 cadets from Serbia's Military Academy. Kostunica didn't threaten the use of force, but said that "Kosovo has always been and forever will remain within Serbia." Kosovo has been an international protectorate since 1999 when NATO bombing forced Serbia to stop its crackdown...

MUMBAI (ICNS) -- Muslim leaders in India have criticized a recent speech by Pope Benedict XII in which he made references to Islam. Some of them have demanded an unconditional apology from the Pope, saying his “blasphemous statement against Prophet Mohammad” has offended Islam. Shia Muslim leaders in the northern Indian city of Lucknow on Friday held a press conference condemning the Pope, and demanding an unconditional apology from him for issuing “a blasphemous statement against Prophet Mohammad.” Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawaad said that the Pope must tender an apology for running down the Prophet and thereby hurting the...

Nidhi Sharma - All Headline News Staff Writer Pristina, Serbia (AHN) - On Friday, a bomb placed under the Kosovo interior minister's car exploded early in the morning in an eastern town in the U.N.-run province. However, reportedly no one was hurt or injured in the blast. The explosion occurred a few hours before Serbian and ethnic Albanian negotiators in Vienna, Austria, resumed litigious U.N.-aided talks on Kosovo's future status. Kosovo's parliament speaker believes the explosion is in retaliation for the diplomatic talks.

U.S. Congressmen Join a Growing Chorus of Experts Warning Against Kosovo Independence; Serbian President Boris Tadic Conveys Kosovo Independence Dangers to U.S. Leaders; Christian Serbs in Kosovo Denounce Muslim Albanian Violence Against Non-Albanians; Kosovo-based Wahhabism in FYROM Editorial comment from the American Council for Kosovo: This week saw further indications that official Washington is becoming increasingly aware of the disastrous consequences a forcible and illegal detachment of Kosovo from democratic Serbia would have on the Balkan region. Worthy of note: 1. In the September 3, 2006 edition of The Washington Times, House International Relations Committee members Representatives Dan Burton (R-IN)...

By M. Bozinovich "It's not true there were mujahideen in Kosovo. That is a figment of your imagination." Sabit Kadriu, Albanian ‘human rights’ activist in Kosovo while testifying against Milosevic at the Hague At the April's international police conference held in Sofia, Bulgaria reiterated that Islamic terrorism is creeping up in the Balkans. Speaking at a regional police anti-crime conference, Bulgarian General Boiko Borisov urged for "joint efforts to fight the global terrorism network" calling on the participants from the likes of Germany, Albania and Turkey to join efforts in limiting militants' access to financing and to enhance security of...

Summary The United States appears to be attempting to strike a deal with the Serbs over the future of Kosovo and the Serbian government. The ultimate success of the deal is a long shot, but it is the best middle-ground option presented yet. Analysis Serbian President Boris Tadic visited the United States on Sept. 5-6. Serbian newspaper Blic reported Sept. 13 that, during his visit, Tadic was told that if Serbia can turn wanted war criminal Ratko Mladic over to the International Criminal Court in The Hague by November, the U.N. decision on Kosovo's independence from Serbia would be postponed...

KLINA -- A recently built Serbian home in the village of Štupelj was blown up last night. According to Klina Municipal Coordinator Stojan Doncic, no one was in the house at the time of the explosion and there were not injuries or victims. The home was owned by Velimir Vasic. The house was built as part of the campaign of enticing the Serb refugees to return to Kosovo. Kosovo Protection Corps and UNMIK officials reported to the scene after the bombing attack.

12 September 2006 | 08:06 | FOCUS News Agency Podgorica. The police in Montenegro announced for international search five Albanians, four of which US citizens, who are suspected of terrorism, Serbian agency TANJUG informs. It is believed they had been planning a terrorist attack in Montenegro. However, officials of the international police force in Kosovo stated the request of Montenegro’s police has not yet been handed in to the authorities in Pristina but added that the police of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) will react immediately if such a request is filed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised the possibility his country may veto a United Nations Security Council decision on the status of Serbia's southern province of Kosovo Mr. Putin told the Financial Times in an interview published Monday that if the solution is not acceptable to Moscow, Russia will not hold back from using its veto. President Putin said his government wants the rules of international relations to be applied to all regions equally. He said it would be wrong to apply one rule for Kosovo and others for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the two breakaway regions of Georgia. Russia...

11 September 2006 | 12:09 | FOCUS News Agency Belgrade. The acknowledgement of the Chief Prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal Carla Del Ponte that the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) kills its potential witnesses against accused in war crimes is raising the question for the responsibility of all who have performed war crimes in Kosovo and will no be tried, Vecerne Novosti reports. The Hague Tribunal admits that is a sensitive topic and they are not apt to talk about that. But they acknowledge that without good witnesses protection there is no way to reach the truth. KLA and its ex...