EU membership in exchage for Kosovo

Hmm!

Who would join the EU if it first has to give up 15% of its territory? What other country that has joined the EU has given up parts of its territory? None!

Hmmm... Carl Bildt very openly says that independent Kosovo is an artificial creation.

I say - once more - that Aland case is the best example how Kosovo problem should be dealt with.

Serbia will enter the EU anyway...

no need for cheap bargains.

If they think an independent Kosovo would need such massive support that shows they do not believe it is a viable state. So why create it?

If they plan to give 1.5 billion euros of EU money to Kosovo then as a EU tax payer I want it given as a development loan not as a freebie. I don't know how many billion have been spent on Kosovo in the last 8 years with practically nothing to show for it. Enough of the freebies.

"I hope there will be a Security Council resolution by summer"

Well, I hope Serbia will focus on building a true world class democracy independent of the EU and NATO by that date! It must not forget its many allies in the developing world- the EU is not the only option...

Kosovo is not worth EU membership and Belgrade should do all it can to make sure Kosovo Serbs never follow Pristina.

Give up territory to be told that you have a prospect of joining. This is totally ludicrous, since Serbia already has the prospect of joining (i.e. we have begun SAA talks) and not only that currently the EU can not expand beyond 27 countries until it passes a new EU treaty (e.g. EU Constitution) since the current treaty caps membership at 27. Not only that but does it make any sense to give up territory to a useless organization whose long run detriments outweigh short run benefits if membership is close to 10 years away. Seems the EU doesn't think logically.

Listen to me all of you, including serbian politicians: Don't give up, don't give Kosova as a price for entering the EU... Kosova will become independent anyway, everybody knows that, why should it serve as a compensation for serbias entry to EU. After all, Serbia can't pay with thing that doesn't belong to them, that used to be occupied for decades, and was free since 1999...

Recall: According to the article, Bildt suggested offering "candidate status", not "membership". Turkey has EU candidate status. So how long might it take for the EU to feel that Serbs are more European than Turks?

Seems to me that the EU paying off Serbia's $18b foreign debt and immediate EU membership for Serbia is a good starting point before talk of an independent Kosovo!

Predictor, if it doesn't belong to us, then why is everyone asking us for it? Nobody is asking you guys for anything. Thats why all you do is threaten more terrorist acts such as war and death. You might want to read any article from the news and look no further than the first line. It will always read "Pristina, Serbia" (B92, CNN, AFP, Nasdaq).

Reality can be a REAL wakeup call, can't it? Serbia doesn't control Kosovo, and doesn't want to. But its still ours. Any way you look at it.

I am outraged at this insult to our independence. They think we can be bought off?!
And by the way, not immediate EU-membership, only the prospect? Who are these guys trying to fool?

How about Serbia says "We'll take Kosovo in exchange for EU membership".

And besides, if Serbia were to join the EU, then Serbian citizens would have to fork out their hard earned money so the EU could give it to those Albanians who persecuted Serbs for over a decade.

Why would anyone do that for?

Kosovo and Metohija can never be sold for an EU membership.
15% Fifteen percent of Serbia's sovereign territory for entry into an EU club!
That is, Kosovo for entry only, and that is at a date to be decided, before the real cost begins!!
hmm! ho! ho!!!

Serbia should say "no" to mere candidate status. If the EU is serious about a regional solution to the problems that plague the Balkans, they need to offer full membership to all the troubled regions. No borders, no problems…

That being said, Serbia should be in no hurry to join the EU. They have plenty of issues to work out currently with all the new members. Serbia should stand by Russia, and join when Russia feels the need to join. Then we will have a strong ally in the EU.

If how the EU handled the Trepeca mines is any indication of how they plan to deal with the rest of the Balkans, a solid "NO" should be Serbia's answer to this kind of "help" transitioning to a fully capitalistic economy. Basically the international community went in, sold off ownership of all the mines to foreign interests, and then used the money to pay off Milosevic's debts! Completely ripping off both the Serbians and the Albanians. Clearly they are in no way interested in having a viable Kosovo economy but are more interested in stealing what little wealth the region has to offer.

Serbia should be very careful and wary of any offers and conditions to join the EU. Its seems to me that what the EU really wants from these new countries is an open market and access to cheap labor. They don't want these people to be able to work, play or study abroad, or even have any real voting rights in the EU parliament.

In reality, the EU has nothing to offer Serbia that Serbia couldn't negotiate with a free trade agreement or visa relaxation. If Serbia is to form closer ties with Russia, China and the non-aligned movement they will be much better off in the long run. Creating a strong economy on its own will only help Serbia obtain better conditions on joining the EU. If Serbia's local economy is not in a strong position to compete with the more advanced European economies, joining the EU will only serve to allow these more developed countries to buy up anything of value and basically a large capital out flux will be the result.

Serbia must regain its international position it held under Tito. Serbia's destiny is balanced between the East and West, always has been, always will be.

i think that the idea of exchanging kosovo with the eu membership is a wrong understanding and maybe a dream for you all,the real thing is that if serbia captures its war criminals ,than the issue of eu membership could be talked about,as for kosova it is free from ecupation since 1999 and now is just been ready for its soverignity and eu membership because kosova has allready fullfilled the eu standards ,thanks to serbs and russians

Hmm!

Who would join the EU if it first has to give up 15% of its territory? What other country that has joined the EU has given up parts of its territory? None!

Hmmm... Carl Bildt very openly says that independent Kosovo is an artificial creation.

I say - once more - that Aland case is the best example how Kosovo problem should be dealt with.

Serbia will enter the EU anyway...

no need for cheap bargains.

If they think an independent Kosovo would need such massive support that shows they do not believe it is a viable state. So why create it?

If they plan to give 1.5 billion euros of EU money to Kosovo then as a EU tax payer I want it given as a development loan not as a freebie. I don't know how many billion have been spent on Kosovo in the last 8 years with practically nothing to show for it. Enough of the freebies.

"I hope there will be a Security Council resolution by summer"

Well, I hope Serbia will focus on building a true world class democracy independent of the EU and NATO by that date! It must not forget its many allies in the developing world- the EU is not the only option...

Kosovo is not worth EU membership and Belgrade should do all it can to make sure Kosovo Serbs never follow Pristina.

Give up territory to be told that you have a prospect of joining. This is totally ludicrous, since Serbia already has the prospect of joining (i.e. we have begun SAA talks) and not only that currently the EU can not expand beyond 27 countries until it passes a new EU treaty (e.g. EU Constitution) since the current treaty caps membership at 27. Not only that but does it make any sense to give up territory to a useless organization whose long run detriments outweigh short run benefits if membership is close to 10 years away. Seems the EU doesn't think logically.

Listen to me all of you, including serbian politicians: Don't give up, don't give Kosova as a price for entering the EU... Kosova will become independent anyway, everybody knows that, why should it serve as a compensation for serbias entry to EU. After all, Serbia can't pay with thing that doesn't belong to them, that used to be occupied for decades, and was free since 1999...

Recall: According to the article, Bildt suggested offering "candidate status", not "membership". Turkey has EU candidate status. So how long might it take for the EU to feel that Serbs are more European than Turks?

Seems to me that the EU paying off Serbia's $18b foreign debt and immediate EU membership for Serbia is a good starting point before talk of an independent Kosovo!

Predictor, if it doesn't belong to us, then why is everyone asking us for it? Nobody is asking you guys for anything. Thats why all you do is threaten more terrorist acts such as war and death. You might want to read any article from the news and look no further than the first line. It will always read "Pristina, Serbia" (B92, CNN, AFP, Nasdaq).

Reality can be a REAL wakeup call, can't it? Serbia doesn't control Kosovo, and doesn't want to. But its still ours. Any way you look at it.

I am outraged at this insult to our independence. They think we can be bought off?!
And by the way, not immediate EU-membership, only the prospect? Who are these guys trying to fool?

How about Serbia says "We'll take Kosovo in exchange for EU membership".

And besides, if Serbia were to join the EU, then Serbian citizens would have to fork out their hard earned money so the EU could give it to those Albanians who persecuted Serbs for over a decade.

Why would anyone do that for?

Kosovo and Metohija can never be sold for an EU membership.
15% Fifteen percent of Serbia's sovereign territory for entry into an EU club!
That is, Kosovo for entry only, and that is at a date to be decided, before the real cost begins!!
hmm! ho! ho!!!

Serbia should say "no" to mere candidate status. If the EU is serious about a regional solution to the problems that plague the Balkans, they need to offer full membership to all the troubled regions. No borders, no problems…

That being said, Serbia should be in no hurry to join the EU. They have plenty of issues to work out currently with all the new members. Serbia should stand by Russia, and join when Russia feels the need to join. Then we will have a strong ally in the EU.

If how the EU handled the Trepeca mines is any indication of how they plan to deal with the rest of the Balkans, a solid "NO" should be Serbia's answer to this kind of "help" transitioning to a fully capitalistic economy. Basically the international community went in, sold off ownership of all the mines to foreign interests, and then used the money to pay off Milosevic's debts! Completely ripping off both the Serbians and the Albanians. Clearly they are in no way interested in having a viable Kosovo economy but are more interested in stealing what little wealth the region has to offer.

Serbia should be very careful and wary of any offers and conditions to join the EU. Its seems to me that what the EU really wants from these new countries is an open market and access to cheap labor. They don't want these people to be able to work, play or study abroad, or even have any real voting rights in the EU parliament.

In reality, the EU has nothing to offer Serbia that Serbia couldn't negotiate with a free trade agreement or visa relaxation. If Serbia is to form closer ties with Russia, China and the non-aligned movement they will be much better off in the long run. Creating a strong economy on its own will only help Serbia obtain better conditions on joining the EU. If Serbia's local economy is not in a strong position to compete with the more advanced European economies, joining the EU will only serve to allow these more developed countries to buy up anything of value and basically a large capital out flux will be the result.

Serbia must regain its international position it held under Tito. Serbia's destiny is balanced between the East and West, always has been, always will be.

i think that the idea of exchanging kosovo with the eu membership is a wrong understanding and maybe a dream for you all,the real thing is that if serbia captures its war criminals ,than the issue of eu membership could be talked about,as for kosova it is free from ecupation since 1999 and now is just been ready for its soverignity and eu membership because kosova has allready fullfilled the eu standards ,thanks to serbs and russians