Posted on 08/03/2011 2:38:23 PM PDT by Ravnagora
The Kosovo Serbs in the north are defending the millennium old lands of their ancestors and the birthplace of Serbian Orthodox Christianity from the invasion of Hashim Thaci’s special police forces called ROSU to enforce a ban on imports from Serbia. These imports are a matter of elementary existence for the Kosovo Serbs, who have survived what Mary Walsh characterized as genocide on UN/NATO watch in her book Hiding Genocide in Kosovo: A Crime against God and Humanity.” She has also characterized Kosovo as the prison without walls.
The Kosovo Serbs are also defending the UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution #1244, which has terminated the 78-day NATO aggression on Serbia in 1999 and which unambiguously authorized the UN Secretary General to establish an interim civilian administration in Kosovo that would allow for the return of refugees and promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self-government within Yugoslavia (now Serbia).
Thaci’s Northern Kosovo Provocation
On July 25 late evening, Hashim Thaci, accused by the Council of Europe of running a ‘mafia state” and alleged to have committed unspeakable atrocities including organ harvesting, who masquerades as the Kosovo Prime Minister sent his special police units to seize two crossing posts, Brnjak and Jarinje, on the administrative line between the Republic of Serbia and Kosovo. His objective is to ban trade with Serbia, seeking to pressure Serbia into recognizing the custom stamps of the “Republic of Kosovo.” Taking over the checkpoints would enable Thaci to enforce the ban.
Thaci’s units occupied` Brnjak but by July 27 the Kosovo Serbs prevented them from occupying Jarinje by placing road barricades. A group of several dozen people in masks attacked the Jarinje crossing point with Molotov cocktails, demolished it and put it on fire. It appears that the ROSU forces were transported by KFOR, NATO force in Kosovo.
KFOR commander German general Erhard Buhler has stepped in not to protect the civilians but to help Thaci. He declared that the check points be “live-fire” zones. KFOR helicopters carrying Croatian peacekeepers were attacked but there were no casualties. An Albanian policeman died from wounds suffered during exchanges of gunfire in Zubin Potok.
EULEX
The EU law and order mission in Kosovo, EULEX, denied that it was involved and issued a statement that the EU does not condone unilateral actions. Pristina says that it gave EULEX a chance to enforce a blockade of Serbian goods. As EULEX failed to act, Pristina ordered unilateral action while asserting that KFOR was notified.
Belgrade Reaction
Belgrade has appealed to EULEX, KFOR, EU and the UNSC. Serbian president Tadic has condemned attacks on the peacekeepers and emphasized that Belgrade “will not go to war, will use only diplomatic means to resolve the conflict and called on Kosovo Serbs to remain calm. His interior minister Ivica Dacic has said that all Serbian police units deployed along the administrative line were on combat readiness. Dacic reminded KFOR that they were in Kosovo on a UN mission that “cannot take part in such moves by the so-called government of Kosovo.”
Belgrade requested urgent session of the UNSC and dispatched the Kosovo Minster Goran Bogdanovic and the Belgrade negotiator in EU sponsored talks with Pristina Borko Stefanovic as negotiators with KFOR to calm the tensions. They immediately met with the KFOR Commander, German General Erhard Buehler, and demanded that the situation be restored to what it was prior to the Thaci’s invasion.
Buehler Backs Off
KFOR positioned its tanks in front of the Serbian barricades at Rudare check point and demanded barricades to be removed. The attached video illustrates the confrontation.
However, the Serbs stayed on the barricades. Stefanovic conveyed the message to General Buehler that the Serbs will not vacate the barricades. Buhler in the end decided to meet the Serbian demands and removed the KFOR forces. However, he stated that he had an authority to use force but decided not to but will do so next time. Who gave him that authority, the German government?
Gallucci: Buhler Should Be Sacked
Gerald Gallucci is a retired American diplomat after serving over 25 years in the State Department. He also served as UN Regional Representative in Kosovska Mitrovica for three years. He has cautioned repeatedly against the military takeover of Northern Kosovo. He is now a blogger writing columns titled From Outside The Walls.
In his July 27 blog Gallucci wrote: “KFOR under the command of German General Buhler has clearly stepped outside its UN Security Council mandate in deciding to enforce the requirements of the institutions in Pristina. Buhler should be immediately removed.” Gallucci went on to say that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) clearly reaffirmed that UNSC Resolution #1244 is international law “NATO was given no political role. None. Yet it is now acting politically to support a ‘state’ that not even all NATO countries recognize. It is clearly doing so under the influence of the US, UK, Germany and perhaps France & Italy. When the international peacekeepers act outside international law, they become outlaws.”
In one of his earlier blogs Gallucci characterized the US Kosovo policy as “Help Thaci, Blame Serbs.”
Russia Reacts
Russia accused the Kosovo Albanian authorities: “We consider the provocations of Albanian authorities in Kosovo to be destabilizing the situation in the province—which is volatile as it is, and to be increasing tensions and undermining the negotiating process between Belgrade and Pristina.” Moscow expects competent representatives of the international community—the UN and EU above all—to undertake necessary measures, and “control ambitions of the Kosovo authorities.”
UN Security Council
Russia and China supported the Serbian request for the urgent session of the UNSC, which took place on July the 28th. It was a closed door session without participation of the Serbian foreign minister Vuk Jeremic. The western powers on the Council (US, UK, France) blocked his participation. This is yet another blow to president Tadic who frequently states that the pillars of the Serbian foreign policy are: US, EU, Russia, and China.
Quint Condemns Thaci’s Invasion
The ambassadors from five western powers (US, UK, France, Germany, Italy) condemned Thaci’s invasion and warned Pristina that they must work with EU, EULEX and KFOR to find peaceful solutions. They were surprised and deeply disturbed by Pristina’s July 25 invasion.
The American ambassador to Belgrade, Mary Warlick, stated that Pristina acted unilaterally without the US and international community coordination. She expressed regrets and urged the two sides to continue negotiations. It is difficult to believe that the US was not consulted since Thaci invariably seeks US support for his actions.
Serbian Parliament Adopts Kosovo Declaration
On July 30, the Serbian Parliament after a 10-hour debate adopted the Kosovo declaration with 181 votes out of 207 present deputies. The declaration condemns violence and calls for peaceful resolution of the crisis caused by Pristina’s unilateral action of sending ROSU to occupy crossing points Jarinje and Brnjak. During the session Stefanovic described the crisis as dramatic and at the brink of a conflict.
Crisis is not Over
Stefanovic and Bogdanovic attempted to return to Kosovo to continue negotiations with KFOR but were not allowed to pass the Jarinje check point. This is a bad omen since KFOR appears to be implementing Thaci’s orders. Edita Tahiri, Thaci’s appointee for negotiations with Belgrade blasted Stefanovic for destructive activities in the north and expressed reservation that she would sit again at the negotiating table with him.
KFOR is in control of the Brnjak crossing as well. After three days they have allowed cars and buses to cross but not trucks carrying food, milk and medications. As a result the Kosovo Serbs are using up their food reserves. The health center in Mitrovica is short of medications and oxygen badly needed for the cancer patients. De facto, the Kosovo Serbs have become again KFOR hostages while their government in Belgrade advocates peace and negotiations only. President Tadic might hope to get the Nobel Peace for price while sacrificing the Kosovo Serbs.
Vojin Joksimovich is the author of two Kosovo books and one hundred articles
*****
Ping!
One of the good things about giving up the crown of “World’s Policeman” (due to the elimination of our military in this debt deal) is that other countries, like Russia, will now have some real power and they DEFEND Christian countries against Muslim attacks. So things just may work out...and it cannot get any worse for the Serbian Christians.
“However, the Serbs stayed on the barricades.”
That is the best line!
Tadic is an imbicile and must be removed.
Comparing to Tadic- Obama is patriot and macho.
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