FT: Debt key to Kosovo’s status

Finally, I western paper has put its finger on one of the single most important issues.

Only half the break up of the SFRY was due to politics, the rest was... money! The whole question of development, rich north v. poor south was almost totally ignored.

The Communists post WWII organized wide scale irrigation in the arid lands of south SFRY which are only really any good for growing tobacco (a pale in the face of Vojvodina's fields) and hardy crops.

So, expect the 'international community' (i.e. the West/IMF) to cancel this debt as another sop in the hope that it will make Kosovo more 'viable'. The reality of Kosovo which the EU refuses to see (but probably suspects (will have to check with my contacts)) is that Kosovo will remain a subsidized ward of the EU. It will be propped up financially one way or another through 'stabilization funds' or some such circumelocution for subsidy. Either way, Serbia will no longer have to service Kosovo's debt in perpetuity...

Well, if the IMF will not cancel the debt, the "rich" country of Albania can help their fellow Kosovar Albanians.

The Albanian Economic indicators were posted implying that the Albanian nation was economically superior to Serbia. So let them contribute to there fellow Albanian brethren.

The EU should forgive all of Serbia's debt as payment for a more cooperative stance towards Kosovo's eventual status which is going to be finalized probably in 10 years' time.Money TALKS/BS walks.

I agree. Let the nations that support Albanian Kosovo's independence pick up the check. I am just sick, as an American citizen, to see a penny of my tax dollars going there. There are much more important and more crucial places in the world that need the funds more, i.e., African nations with hunger and AIDS epidemics. But the West does not seem to care about places where it cannot make a profit.

Finally, I western paper has put its finger on one of the single most important issues.

Only half the break up of the SFRY was due to politics, the rest was... money! The whole question of development, rich north v. poor south was almost totally ignored.

The Communists post WWII organized wide scale irrigation in the arid lands of south SFRY which are only really any good for growing tobacco (a pale in the face of Vojvodina's fields) and hardy crops.

So, expect the 'international community' (i.e. the West/IMF) to cancel this debt as another sop in the hope that it will make Kosovo more 'viable'. The reality of Kosovo which the EU refuses to see (but probably suspects (will have to check with my contacts)) is that Kosovo will remain a subsidized ward of the EU. It will be propped up financially one way or another through 'stabilization funds' or some such circumelocution for subsidy. Either way, Serbia will no longer have to service Kosovo's debt in perpetuity...

Well, if the IMF will not cancel the debt, the "rich" country of Albania can help their fellow Kosovar Albanians.

The Albanian Economic indicators were posted implying that the Albanian nation was economically superior to Serbia. So let them contribute to there fellow Albanian brethren.

The EU should forgive all of Serbia's debt as payment for a more cooperative stance towards Kosovo's eventual status which is going to be finalized probably in 10 years' time.Money TALKS/BS walks.

I agree. Let the nations that support Albanian Kosovo's independence pick up the check. I am just sick, as an American citizen, to see a penny of my tax dollars going there. There are much more important and more crucial places in the world that need the funds more, i.e., African nations with hunger and AIDS epidemics. But the West does not seem to care about places where it cannot make a profit.