Serbia accepted into Partnership for Peace

This a good thing for Serbia and i hope they will fully cooperate and train as much as they can with NATO and other nations of Europe. I just hope this will be a stepping stone for Serbia to emerge from the isolation. I believe Serbia has the potential to one day stand with NATO as a reliable partner for Peace.

This is a needed, and positive, step by the European community to integrate Serbia into the larger democratic community of nations. It will also greatly help DS and other pro-Western parties in the upcoming elections. A little recognition by the West for Serbia's democratizing efforts since 2000 can go a long way.

serbia needs no such democratizing... it's economic expansion - now underway - is a far more effective method to achieve that. serbia should be careful as this might be a trojan horse of sorts by the west. i don't see the benefit of being in nato when every other country around you is in nato. actually i see greater benefit by not being in it.

by the way... does that now mean that kosovo is in NATO :))

If this is true then it adds a further nail in the coffin of independence for second Albanian state for the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo & Metohija.

Maybe the US realise that the Serbian army would be more effective than the KLA. Wouldn't surprise me if the Serbian govt stepped up this invitation and sent out troops to Afghanistan and Iraq within the year.

Geo-politics has a strange way of twsiting and if this turns out to be the first step in to NATO then I think the sooner the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo & Metohija realise this the sooner all peoples of Serbia may create a better future for all.

This is an awesum and great first step, but remember, we are not in NATO yet. It can be acceptable to join them if they recognize Albanian extremist hotbed in Kosovo and that Republic of Serbia/Europe doesn't want that.

What about the NATO-statement that the will of Kosovo people has to be respected in the status solution (very strange that B92 makes no mention of it!)? Another strong argument against K-conditioned independence?

genc wrote: - "What about the NATO-statement that the will of Kosovo people has to be respected in the status solution" - ...

Genc, what do you say about ANOTHER statement NATO made. The one in particular that claimed "Serbia will never be in Partnership for Peace program until Karadzic & Mladic are in the Hague." What can i say, things change. The F-Times reported today that this shows a complete U-turn stance with Serbia in regards to NATO's position.

Only 2 things in life are certain my friend. Death, and Taxes! =)

I think the signal that NATO is sending genc is that they will not tolerate those who want to create havoc during this time when they are trying to settle this kosovo business i think people have seen if you resort to violence and destrucition of property it will be dealt with quickly. This is also a signal that if there is another 2004 type coordinated riot you may have other forces who will be called upon to protect the Serbian as well as albanian people. I not going to mention who but i hope it never comes to this.

Walter, Jham,

Here it’s the rest of FT article:

"Diplomats said Nato had moved to bolster pro-western parties in Serbia's January elections. They added that it could also soften the blow Belgrade is set to receive next year, when many countries are expected to recognise the independence of Kosovo, the breakaway province at the heart of Nato's 1999 war with Serbia.
"I have long been of the opinion that this was the right way to go," said Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Nato secretary-general, referring to the decision to give Serbia partnership. He added: "It was not so easy”.

No comments needed, isn't it? Situation must be really hard in Serbia, since NATO seems forced to play for the democratic block.

Walter, only death is certain. You can even slip taxes, if you’re smart enough (not my case)

This a good thing for Serbia and i hope they will fully cooperate and train as much as they can with NATO and other nations of Europe. I just hope this will be a stepping stone for Serbia to emerge from the isolation. I believe Serbia has the potential to one day stand with NATO as a reliable partner for Peace.

This is a needed, and positive, step by the European community to integrate Serbia into the larger democratic community of nations. It will also greatly help DS and other pro-Western parties in the upcoming elections. A little recognition by the West for Serbia's democratizing efforts since 2000 can go a long way.

serbia needs no such democratizing... it's economic expansion - now underway - is a far more effective method to achieve that. serbia should be careful as this might be a trojan horse of sorts by the west. i don't see the benefit of being in nato when every other country around you is in nato. actually i see greater benefit by not being in it.

by the way... does that now mean that kosovo is in NATO :))

If this is true then it adds a further nail in the coffin of independence for second Albanian state for the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo & Metohija.

Maybe the US realise that the Serbian army would be more effective than the KLA. Wouldn't surprise me if the Serbian govt stepped up this invitation and sent out troops to Afghanistan and Iraq within the year.

Geo-politics has a strange way of twsiting and if this turns out to be the first step in to NATO then I think the sooner the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo & Metohija realise this the sooner all peoples of Serbia may create a better future for all.

This is an awesum and great first step, but remember, we are not in NATO yet. It can be acceptable to join them if they recognize Albanian extremist hotbed in Kosovo and that Republic of Serbia/Europe doesn't want that.

What about the NATO-statement that the will of Kosovo people has to be respected in the status solution (very strange that B92 makes no mention of it!)? Another strong argument against K-conditioned independence?

genc wrote: - "What about the NATO-statement that the will of Kosovo people has to be respected in the status solution" - ...

Genc, what do you say about ANOTHER statement NATO made. The one in particular that claimed "Serbia will never be in Partnership for Peace program until Karadzic & Mladic are in the Hague." What can i say, things change. The F-Times reported today that this shows a complete U-turn stance with Serbia in regards to NATO's position.

Only 2 things in life are certain my friend. Death, and Taxes! =)

I think the signal that NATO is sending genc is that they will not tolerate those who want to create havoc during this time when they are trying to settle this kosovo business i think people have seen if you resort to violence and destrucition of property it will be dealt with quickly. This is also a signal that if there is another 2004 type coordinated riot you may have other forces who will be called upon to protect the Serbian as well as albanian people. I not going to mention who but i hope it never comes to this.

Walter, Jham,

Here it’s the rest of FT article:

"Diplomats said Nato had moved to bolster pro-western parties in Serbia's January elections. They added that it could also soften the blow Belgrade is set to receive next year, when many countries are expected to recognise the independence of Kosovo, the breakaway province at the heart of Nato's 1999 war with Serbia.
"I have long been of the opinion that this was the right way to go," said Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Nato secretary-general, referring to the decision to give Serbia partnership. He added: "It was not so easy”.

No comments needed, isn't it? Situation must be really hard in Serbia, since NATO seems forced to play for the democratic block.

Walter, only death is certain. You can even slip taxes, if you’re smart enough (not my case)