Kosovo declares independence

[Castigator]

Has been coming down the line for a while.. but now it's official .. What'd you think?

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Independence day
Feb 17th 2008 | PRISTINA
From Economist.com

Kosovo declares its secession from Serbia



ON SUNDAY February 17th Kosovo declared that it had become the seventh state to emerge from the wreckage of the former Yugoslavia. According to a plan worked out by Kosovo's leaders with foreign counterparts, recognition of the new country is likely to follow from Monday onwards, by America, many European Union countries and others.

Tens of thousands of people packed the centre of Pristina, Kosovo's capital, to celebrate. Posters were plastered across the city, thanking America, Britain and the EU for their support.

Technically Kosovo is a province of Serbia, although its jurisdiction passed to the UN in 1999. Serbia, strongly supported by Russia has said that Kosovo's independence is an illegal act of secession and it will not recognise it. Serbia is set to lower, but not break, diplomatic relations with any state that recognises Kosovo.

Of Kosovo's 2m people some 90% are ethnic Albanians who have long demanded independence. There are believed to be fewer than 130,000 Serbs in Kosovo today. About half live in a compact territory in the north, the rest in enclaves scattered across the rest of the territory.

This is the second time Kosovo has declared independence. The first time in 1991, it was recognised by no one except Albania. This time it will be different, but still Kosovo will not become a state equal with all others. Russia will block its membership of the UN and all other international bodies where it has a veto. A big EU mission is beginning to deploy, with a mandate to keep control of police and justice in the territory. Another part of the mission is supposed to make sure that Kosovo lives up to various standards its leaders have committed themselves to.

The risk is that Kosovo becomes dependent on these missions and thus simply an EU protectorate, its leaders shoving responsibility for difficult issues on to foreigners all too willing to rule. Given Serbia's hostility to Kosovo's independence, heavy reliance on foreigners will be a necessity in any case. Today Kosovo's security is assured by some 17,000 NATO-led troops. They will remain for years, perhaps decades, to come.

One of the biggest problems now is going to be dealing with Kosovo's Serbian minority which rejects independence—the leadership of Serbia tell them to ignore independence. They will probably do so. In May, Serbia will vote in local elections. This will be a big test. What would, or could, Kosovo's authorities do when Serbs hold these polls in other parts of Kosovo? Much will become clear in the next few days. Some of Kosovo's power comes from Serbia. Will that be cut? Will Serbia close the border to Kosovo-Albanians and anyone doing business with them?

On Friday Hashim Thaci, Kosovo's prime minister, addressed journalists saying that all would be done to look after and protect minorities in Kosovo. It was a moment pregnant with symbolism. Since no one had bothered to provide a translation none of the now angry Serbian journalists had a clue what he was saying. For too long Serbs and Albanians have been talking at each other not to each other. In the short term this is bound to get worse. Serbia has also, for now, angrily opted to put aside its efforts to join the EU.

Once the parties end difficult problems must be tackled. Serbs in the north will protest against independence. Kosovo's weak economy will still be weak. Kosovo's neighbours, Macedonia and Montenegro are also bracing for trouble, worried that a vengeful Serbia will take harsh measures against them if they recognise the new state.

For years diplomats dealing with Kosovo have tried to find a way to achieve what was called “final status”. Today most Albanians are delirious, but it is unclear whether they have understood that what is happening now is not final, but rather just the end of a chapter. “We had hoped we'd be finishing the book by now,” says one diplomatic source ruefully. Ylber Hysa, a Kosovo Albanian analyst, says that as far as he is concerned the important thing is not so much independence as getting "Serbia out."

[GrobbeeTrull2.0]

Tough shit for Kosovo. The UN's purpose is to preserve sovreignty, and if Kosovo wants independence, they need to do it the proper way.

[Banal]

Originally Posted by GrobbeeTrull2.0

they need to do it the proper way.

Which is?

Edit: To be more precise: when a political entity which desires self-determination faces being excluded from the UN by veto, what can it really do other than declare its independence and seek recognition from other nations? Should they have to remain part of Serbia because that's the way the map got drawn up after WWII? They tried to establish their independence in 1991 and got no support.

[Soriak]

Their independence is going to stick - this time they have support from the majority of the EU (all the big members) and the US as well. Russia can only keep them out of selected international organizations and they'll have to drop their opposition unless they want confrontation with the EU and the US.

[Gryeyes]

Russia-US relations dont seem to be heading in a very happy direction as of late.

[Astrocreep]

Originally Posted by Gryeyes

Russia-US relations dont seem to be heading in a very happy direction as of late.

when has it ever?

btw the UN is ineffectual, always has been always will be.

[FulorianC]

Originally Posted by Astrocreep

when has it ever?

btw the UN is ineffectual, always has been always will be.

1991-2000?

Basically, until Putin took over?

[Clericnon2boxed]

if the serbs had not done some ethnic cleansing there during the balkan wars they wouldnt have lost that province

[Tolanin]

Originally Posted by FulorianC

1991-2000?

Basically, until Putin took over?

you mean while they were rebuilding from the collapse of their empire? russian feelings about the US havent changed at all. putin is like the exact same guy as bush so naturally they wont get along.

[Cybsled]

Russia and the US don't want to return to the whole M.A.D. cloud. But Russia does want to return to it's former status as a Superpower. The U.S. has already been seeing how much it can tip-toe over the line (read: The NATO expansion and the missile shield)...any perceived "hostility" is really Russia just asserting itself and saying "Wtf dude, stop tip toeing over the line!".

Although it makes me think of the movie Canadian Bacon a bit...."Hey guys, remember how fun the Cold War was? Wanna start it up again?!".

[GrobbeeTrull2.0]

The reason the UN and NATO shouldn't let it happen is simple - bend a rule for one person, bend a rule for everyone.

[Eomer]

Originally Posted by Tolanin

you mean while they were rebuilding from the collapse of their empire? russian feelings about the US havent changed at all. putin is like the exact same guy as bush so naturally they wont get along.

Exactly. US-Russian relations were only "good" during that period because Russia was such a fucking mess internally, they didn't need or want to go picking fights internationally. Now that energy prices are sky high and Russia's flush with cash, they're re-asserting themselves on the international stage, and naturally bumping heads with the US. Believe it or not, the US doesn't just get carte blanche to do what it wants in the world, and in some ways I don't mind having a counterpoint to US hegemony. China's too worried about it's own internal growth and not pissing off the US too much, and Europe more or less is on the US's side.

Queue a speech by Khorum about how this is 1912 all over again.

Also, Bush and Putin supposedly get along great on a personal level. Don't forget Bush "saw his soul." The reality is that they're nothing alike. Putin's smart as hell, Bush while not stupid certainly isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. Putin has played him like a fiddle since 2001. That fucker is shrewd as shit. As soon as 9/11 happened and the War on Terrah started, Putin went to town on Chechnya, Georgia, hell every single former soviet republic in one way or another, reasserting Russia's regional dominance. And the US couldn't object too loudly for fear of being a massive hypocrite.

I really don't know enough about the former Yugoslavia to really comment on the whole Kosovo thing, other than to say what a fucking mess that place has become. Can you believe the Olympics were held there in 1984?

[Astrocreep]

The thing i hate most about Putin is that he is supposedly so straight edge. doesnt drink or smoke , i just dont trust anyone who has no vices. at least Bush you can relate to cuz he has drank, smoked, done drugs etc. how do you relate to an uptight party pooper like putin?

[Cybsled]

I'm sure he has vices. He's just smart enough not to air them in the open, where they can be used as ammunition against him politically.

[Soriak]

Originally Posted by GrobbeeTrull2.0

The reason the UN and NATO shouldn't let it happen is simple - bend a rule for one person, bend a rule for everyone.

That doesn't make sense... independence has always been an internal matter, there's nothing telling the UN or NATO that they should try and keep countries together.

Besides, it's not like the modern Republic of Serbia has been around for all that long - less than 2 years, if I recall correctly. Borders in the region are a mess and there's often such big cultural differences within a country that it really doesn't make sense to speak of one country.