Robertson goes back to Balkans as a peacemaker

GEORGE ROBERTSON, who as Defence Secretary co-ordinated the 1999 Kosovo bombing campaign, is to return to the Balkans as peacemaker between Serbs and Albanians.

Lord Robertson of Port Ellen is to become chief negotiator between Belgrade and Pristina over the future of Kosovo, which wants to become independent after six years of NATO military presence.

The United Nations, which has run Kosovo since the end of the bombing campaign, will today announce that Lord Robertson has agreed to come out of semi-retirement to conduct the crucial negotiations.

Since stepping down as NATO secretary-general in January last year, Lord Robertson has divided his time between his Islay family home and his £140,000-a-year Cable & Wireless directorship.

But he will now return in an attempt to ask Belgrade to compromise in granting independence to Kosovo.

Kosovo’s independence plans are backed by Britain and the United States, but vigorously opposed by traditional Serbian ally Russia - which has the power to veto any solution Lord Robertson comes up with over the next two years.

Belgrade insists on keeping Kosovo at least formally within its borders, as Northern Ireland is within Britain. But of its two million citizens, some 1.9 million are Albanians who want full independence.

Lord Robertson will also have to deal with a dispute over the 200,000 Serbs which Serbia says fled Kosovo during the conflict, and are now too frightened to return to the country. Kosovo Albanian officials put the figure at 70,000.

Violent anti-Serb riots swept parts of Kosovo in March last year - killing 19 and forcing thousands to flee their homes. There has been other documented evidence of ethnic Albanian militias preparing for a new uprising if they fail to secure independence.

Lord Robertson’s role will involve extensive shuttle diplomacy, assuring Belgrade that the Serbian minority will be protected and asking Pristina to compromise in its aim of full sovereignty and European Union membership.

From what I could tell by the article at the Norwegian link that oilfieldtrash posted, the video is of a group of Norwegian soldiers from the Norbattalion singing and dansing to a version of the 80's Beach Boys song "Kokomo" where they sing about Kosovo.

My Norwegian is not the best (my Swedish is better) but as the languages are similar I can understand most of it.

Here's a quick, rough translation of some of it:

"A music video where soldiers from the Norbattalion sing and dance to their own version of the 80's hit "Kokomo" is causing strong reaction in Serbia.

The music video was recently shown on the Serbian tv station BK TV, and the news editor, Milan Nedic says that they have recieved many reaction to the content.

Many feel offended by such behaivour. The Serbian public is shocked and the video has been condemned by many political parties and public figures says Nedic.

Serbian "bad boys" shall be killed

In the music video, the Norwegian KFOR soldiers sing and dance to the Beach Boys 80's hit "kokomo" - translated to "Kosovo" in the Norwegian soldiers version.

The video is made by soldiers from the Norbattalion, spring 2003. It was earlier thought that it was the Telemarksbattalion behind it but that isn't correct.

The text to the song seems offensive to a few nations, among them Serbs. In the text, it's said among other things that Serbian "bad boys" shall be killed.

It should be American soldiers that sing the text in the song (?)

According to the Serbian tv station, the video was taken last summer and was placed on the Internet on the 13th May, this year.

The soldiers on the video were ordinary conscripts in Troms until they were recruited to Norbattalion in 2002. They were in Kosovo until the summer 2003.

News editor, Milan Nedic from BK TV says that many Serbs react to it being exactly Norwegian soldiers that behave in this video.

Norwegian-Serbian friendship has long roots. Such a mockery of Serbs and Serbia feels even worse when it comes from old friends says Nedic.

It is merely deceptive. They are there to take care of security- not to make stupid and offensive videos. The text to the song is disrespectful, says Nedic.

Pressspokesman Geir Anda from the Defence department says that an investigation into the video will be started.

This is unacceptable. The defence chief will start an investigation and will evaluate disciplinary reactions over those that are behind it, says Anda to NRK.

The Defence department have recieved criticism for videos several times. Last winter they reviewed a video there soldiers from the Telemarkbattallion are shooting dogs in Kosovo. In Autumn, VG disclosed a video showing play with weapons and urinating by guards on "Jørstadmoen."

"This video is not of such character as the dog killing video or jørstadmoen. The defence department has started several initiatives to make soldiers aware of the consequences of making such jackass videos. At the same time we aware that this is a culture that is also in the defence department, says Anda to NRK.

From what NRK understands, the video was made for a companies completion of duty and it was never meant for any civilians to see it. The video was sent to a civilian in Norway who later put it out on the Internet.

In the end the video ended in Serbian media which broadcast it yesterday. The video was made before new and stricter guidelines for such soldier videos were introduced. "

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