Tadić, Koštunica warn against unilateral recognition

In my opinion it is wrong to represent the Kosovo's final status solution as a trade: EU membership for Kosovo's independence.
Nobody should have the right to trade Kosovo's people.
Let the people of Kosovo express their will by implementing a referendum to be hold asap.
For sure someone should be afraid of Kosovo's people opinion.

Tell you what: if a unilateral declaration is called, and the US answers, I see no reason why there shouldn't be unilateral declarations by Serbs in Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia, and hell, even Macedonia. Have Russia recognize them, and we've got dozens of little semi-official statelets dotting the landscape in happy happy bliss.

So Srbija will get into NATO if they trade off Kosovo. . . well does that mean Serbian troops will be brought back into Kosovo?? I mean they would have that right as a NATO member!!

This drive for independence is the biggest fraud and joke of the century, im amazed its still being debated!!! Kosovo je Srbija

Spot on Mike, and like I have stated before the Russians are on a win-win and they know it! The US are in are in a "self made trap"

Maybe the Serbs in Chicago should take note and concentrate their efforts while we are at !!!

Kosovo or any legal part of Serbia can be independent within Serbia only. Bush promise to Albanians is empty story. His words do not have credibility even in US. Serbia should never accept NATO membership and should develop closer ties with Russia and China. EU needs Serbia more than Serbia needs EU membership, considering Serbia’s geographical position. Bush already proved his "Mission Completion" in Iraq.

“The situation can hardly be repaired by the offer from top U.S. officials that should Kosovo-Metohija be granted independence, Serbia will be rewarded with NATO membership,” Koštunica stressed.

I agree 100% with this statement. Absolutely nothing turns my stomach more than the thought of Serbia ever joining NATO. Doing so would be like a form of "bombing yourself". I have read before that a large majority of Serbs do not wish to join NATO- I hope this continues to be true forever, even if Kosovo is torn away- Serbs can still have their dignity on a spiritual level, whicuh is of course what the Kosovo tale is about.

It's quite firm and now very clear, Kosovo will be independent. Serbia and its so called FRIEND Russia have been pushed to the edge diplomatically (the west is not blind Historians know who Kosovo rightful belongs to Albanians Kosovar), I would agree with those serbs who have given up on the dream and ideology of the greater serbia, as your government simply could not coup.

Regardless of the past I feel that we (Kosova, Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Montenegro should move into the new era and join the EU, its about time serbia gives up its dream and gets out of the way for the rest of the region to move away from homophobic nationalism.

A quick prospective. Kosovo will be independent, and USA with its European allies will recognize Kosovo. In order to protect it from Rusian and Serbian threat, billions will be spent to re-build its infrastructure and a modern army. Kosovo will earn billions from its mines and its 600,000 immigrants will pour billions in rebuilding the country. The serbian antagonizm will only organize them and discipline them even better to contribute to their new state.

As for Serbia. I have never seen a country with such a foreign policy, and with such short-sighted and leaders. There are no diplomats in Serbia, only medival extremist leaders, totally out of their time. Gangster like individuals - like Millosevic - with a very unsophisticated political opinion. It's maybe the only country in the Balkan where a extremist party (Radicals) wins over 33% of the votes. This fact spreads fear and in-security in the country and beyond.

It's about time that Serbia stood on it's own two feet with much less reliance on Russia. The simple fact is that Serbia will never be a part of NATO and will never be a part of the EU and they will conveniently be left out as an excuse not to allow Albania or Turkey into the EU. The sooner the population of Serbia realise this and try to turn the country around, the better. Being left out of the E may end up being a great advantage for Serbia - being able to control it's economy with much greater freedom then EU states. they should press for a free trade agreement with the EU, not EU membership.

Nehat, historians, as you claim, do not conclude what "rightfully" belongs to anyone. Maybe your so-called "historians" in Kosovo do for the sake of actually HAVING a history, but any serious historian of the region will conclude that Kosovo's history is a shared history between Serbs, Turks, Greeks, and yes, Albanians. Besides, this whole escapade over Kosovo has nothing to do with history. The US hardly knows who you are, where you are located, and what you do for a living. Ask anyone in America what they think of Albanians and chances are, they'll say, "who?" The US is supporting you because you're basically all we've got left in terms of absolute allies in the world anymore. Plus, we promised you the world in 1999 and it would look pretty stupid for our government to back away from such promises now, especially since you think so highly of us.

Nehat Krasniqi
Sure as soon as all Serbs in northern KOSOVO, Republica Srpska, and Krajina are under Belgrades control. Because they refuse to live with you. Deal? If not you can go to YOUR un-homophobic tirana and complain to bush.

What Tadic and Kostunica have been saying for months remond me of one of the one of Dalida's song: «Paroles! Paroles! Paroles!»

Words, only words, that sound so ackward, so desincarnated from reality. We all know what the Albanians went through under Serbian regime, and the Albanians do not want to live this again, and it is perfectly comprehensible. The Serbs have not one unique intelligent rreason to oblige 90% of a population to have their laws dictated by a minority.


«The settlement of Kosovo status had to be beneficial for the Serbs, ethnic Albanians and the entire region. »

Mr Tadic, this quotation of yours should have been phrases this way: ... beneficial for the majority of the people living in Kosovo, the Albanians, and its minority, the Serbs.

It is about time to put the record straight!

To: Toronto 1

Serbia will never join NATO and in fact NATO'S days are numbered, by 2010 or 2011 don't be surprised to see the last of NATO. And a new European version of NATO formed which will not include the USA. As for Serbia, they only want to pursue the EU and keep their land from being stolen. It's good to see Tadic confirming what Koštunica had said in the past few days. These two must stand united for a stronger Serbia, Koštunica could very well lead Serbia alone, he is the more powerful of the two but standing united with Tadic is all the more better.

To: Nehat Krasniqi

If Serbia and Russia have been pushed to the edge, then why is Kosovo still not independent?

No one said that Serbia will get EU or NATO membership in return if they accept the Kosova's inidipendenc. Bush said, Kosova will be independent no matter what. US is willing to cooperate politicly and economicly with Serbia afterwords but not becuase they accept independence of Kosova. EU on the other hand will require the fulfileent of the conditions for EU membership. As for Russian veto, I dont expect that Russia will even use it, they know daim well that if independece for Kosova with SC Resolution will be a bad precedent (which i don't agree), Kosova's independence without SC Resolution will be a worts precedet. As for the Kosova membershp to the UN. Russia can block the Kosova's memebrship to the UN but there are many states that are not UN memebrs. Swicherland didnt even want to be UN memebr until 3-4 years ago.

I had to see it to believe it - When Bush was visiting Albania, an Albanian stole the watch from his wrist. The man described by Berisha as the greatest person ever to visit Albania has his watch stolen by one of the locals. Looks like the ordinary Albanians don't think much of Bush.

According to Tadic, Serbs and Albanians have to live in Kosovo, and the 250 000 Serbs expelled from the province want to come back to Kosovo. In the 90, as Martic so well stated, life with Croats and Muslims was impossible, how come it is actually possible?



«...this campaign of violence and intimidation against the Croat and non-Serb population was a consequence of the position taken by the leadership that co-existence with the Croat and other non-Serbs, in Milan Martić's own words, "in our Serbian territories of the SAO Krajina [ was ] impossible".

So Victor according to your logic all albanians shall be expelled from Kosovo as all serbs are expelled from Krajina?

Where is your logic or is it all about double standards for you depending om what ethnic group you are talking about?

I don't believe that Bush's words about independence are an empty story. So far US has proven to be a very effective force for the Albanian cause. And we all know that Kosovo Albanians have the support of all sides of the american political spectrum.

The key is Europe. Most likely GB, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Sweeden, and a few other states will recognize Kosovo as an independent state, immediately after US does. The others will follow, as they know very well that a Kosovo under Serbia will never live in peace, which means trouble in the entire region.

As Serbia becomes more and more a Russian satelite, it will alienate itself from the rest of Eastern Europe and EU.

I truly wish Serbia, once a preferred entity of the US who received billions from US, does not move east, and alienate itself like that. I believe that all nations in the region should try to find common grounds to move forward and increase economic cooperation. One way to do that is to at least have the same vision and goals for the future, one of which might be their European integration. It is truly a sad picture to see.

Immediate EU membership is going to be great for Serbia but this should be only the first carrot the EU gives in return for Serbia's cooperation on Kosovo.The EU will pay ALL of Serbia's foreign debt and it will leave the northern part in Serbia along with the mines and agree to have a referendum in Republica Srpska on that republic merging with Serbia.No people in the Balkans should be forced into a lousy marriage.The Albanians cannot live under Belgrade authority and the Serbs cannot live under Sarajevo authority.All groups in the Balkans have their angels and demons just like everywhere else and it is high time to stabilize the Balkans once and for all.It is imperative for NATO/EU to pour massive troops and materiel on the borders between Serbs and Albanians in northern Kosovo and between Serbs and muslims(Republica Srpska and the federation).But first it should completely demilitarize any armed force capability on all sides in those regions.Costa Rica has no army and it is a very peaceful country.

Veritas, it's the Serbian logic that I do not understand. In the 90,, according to Martic, and to Karadzic, and to Milosevic, life wity non-Serbs was impossible? After the events we know, the civils war, the massacres, the crimes, the atrocities, why should life would be more possible now?

All this huffing and puffing of Serbia about 12 or 15% of her territory where the Serbs make up only about 5-7% of the population is getting ridiculous. In 1920 Hungary lost 75% of its territory. More than 1/3 of the Hungarians suddenly found themself in artificially created countries...some 3 millions of them. That was injustice! But Kosovo??

linkhttp://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Bushs-Watch.html

To Justice
Let me give you som more logic with evidence: Ex-Serb leader to serve 35 years

The UN war crimes tribunal has sentenced Milan Martic, the former leader of rebel Serbs in Croatia, to 35 years in jail for crimes committed while rebel Serbs set up a break away state in Croatia.

Martic, 52, was found guilty on Tuesday for war crimes commited against Croats, Muslims and other non Serb civilians during the early 1990s.

Residents in KRAJINA region including women and the elderly were detained, beaten, tortured and murdered by special forces set up by Martic.

His forces also looted and destroyed properties to ensure non-Serbs had no homes to return to.

Martic led the opposition to Croatian independence from Yugoslavia in the largely Serb KRAJINA region.

Rebel Serbs seized control of the area effectively cutting Croatia in half, blocking transport links and ruining tourism.

Martic, a former policeman, was appointed president of a self-proclaimed Serb republic in Croatia in 1994.
He surrendered to the UN tribunal in 2002 and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Just tell me if you need more.

Justice will prevail

One thing is for sure, Laws are made by the people, and for the people, same is valid for changes, amendments to laws. If one country forces one Alliance to intervene in order to protect that country's "citizens" (whose documents were burned at the border when fleeding) in such case country has lost any legal, moral, practical or whatever right to govern such citizens. One can also say that their "citizens" are not their "citizens" anymore due to the nonexistence of their documents that prove that are citizens of such country. Therefore, people know, people see and saw and people decide. Why there is a need for an anti-smoking law when 90 percent of people smoke? Is it feasible to have such law applicable, or should people change it to allow exceptions?

I believe reversed Ahtisari's plan is the solution. Kosovo "remains a part of Serbia" and Albanians get all rights Serb get with Ahtisari Plan. Absolute autonomy (security, economy, health, education), special links to Albania, the right to veto any legislation in the Serb Parliament that may endanger Albanian national rights, protection zones for Albanian historical sites, 30 % of seats in the Parliament of Serbia, at least four ministries (guaranteed by Constitution), Albanian language as official, also guaranteed by Constitution, demilitarization of Kosovo and buffer zone of some 50 km from the border of Kosovo. Serbia keeps Kosovo, Albanians are guaranteed their safety and prosperity. Russia cannot say no to this proposal, it doesnt confront with international law. What will Serbia say?

to PB and other unbelievers!
From the Press Briefing in White House:

Q Finally, was the President's watch lifted in Albania off his wrist?

MR. SNOW: No, it was not. It was placed in his pocket, and I believe your network has actually looked through the tape carefully and has ascertained the same. But, no, the President put it in his pocket, and it returned safely home.

“Belgrade and Priština might, in an open and constructive dialogue, reach an acceptable solution beneficial to both the Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo,” he said.

If it haden't worked for 18 months, why should it work now Mr. Kostunica?

Just another attempt to stall...

First of all, I think Serbia has great leadership in between President Tadic and Prime Minister Kostunica. These two men are very diplomatic individuals who stand alongside their respective principles while also looking forward to a brighter Serbian future.

dennisdrennan, the only thing in between terrorists from the Middle East and Europe, is Serbia. So all of this talk about Serbs being nationalists and crazy war mongers is nothing but the assertion that we are Europeans, that we are Christians, and that we are not going to give up our homeland to Muslim rule. And if Kosovo is given independence, you better believe that the growing separatist Muslim population in the UK will only be encouraged, that the rioting bums in France will only be encouraged, and that the terrorists in the Middle East will only be encouraged.

Here goes Victor again using a quote to destroy his own argument. He quotes Martic «...this campaign of violence and intimidation against the Croat and non-Serb population was a consequence of the position taken by the leadership that co-existence with the Croat and other non-Serbs, [-----] , "in our Serbian territories of the SAO Krajina [ was ] impossible”. One more time Victor cause and effect. He is speaking of Croatia’s leadership not that of Serbia. What did the leadership of Croatia do? Did they punish the mob that killed the Macedonian soldier in Split? No! Did they punish the Croats in Goispic that killed dozen Serbian men and women even before Croatia declared unilateral independence? No! Did the leadership introduce a new law bringing back the fascist symbols and at the same time declaring Serbs as second class citizens in Croatia? Yes! When I visited this part of the world I went into a cemetery in Lika and you know what Victor almost every gravestone in that cemetery had the same date of death on it. Victor did you expect more cemeteries like the one I visited? Metric certainly did not want that. If he killed innocent Croats that was despicable and he should answer for it but if this was done in self defense it is understandable. Victor is like a man sitting on a stove and complains that his backside is on fire and he concludes his argument stating “Martic so well stated, life with Croats and Muslims was impossible, how come it is actually possible?.” Well Vctor because Croats, Muslims, Albanians and all others found sanctuary in Serbia and Montenegro throughout the war that the Croats brought to Yugoslavia. Serbs even saved thousands of Croats as they fled Muslim occupied territories.

PB, let us not brand an ethnic background a theif just because some DUMBASS decides to steal his watch not all albanians are theieves not all Serbs are murders. People tend to place blame on an entire people to show the world how bad or how good people are. A thief is a theif a murderer is a murderer. Pretty hard to contest this when you are caught on camera killing or stealing. People do this not an entire race.

Rather than lecturing to the world about International Law, Kostunica should better surrender the war criminals that he is sheltering in his country. By protecting them, he has declared his allegiance to the same ideals. Kostunica is in fact no different from the likes of Milosevic, Karadzic and Mladic. All he lacks is opportunity.

K16 - your "logic" and "evidence" is irrelevant. When you have a Western backed tribunal what are you expectin to happen? that they find all the serbs not guilty and the croats guilty. don't be so gullible, the courts are biased and everyone who is impartial knows it.

Ari - if he didn't have his watch stolen then it shows everyone what Bush really thinks of the albanians.

=truth

Albanians in general are a very religious tolerant people. Less that 2% of the people of Kosovo actualy "practice" islam.

It is not that we dont respect our religion, we simply do not practice it and there are many reasons for that.

Before the Albanian reneissance, Serbs and Greeks, Turks and Chatholic Rome tried to divide us among religious lines, until some great Albanians said "enough". The Albanian national identity does not revolve around their religion. This is best explained in the following poem by Pashkop Vasa around the end of the 19th century:

Albanians, you are slaying one another,
Some shout for country, some against sin,
One says I'm Turk, another Latin,
Others Greeks or Slavs profess to be,
Fools! You are brothers can't you see?
Priests and mullas have made you mute
To keep you split and destitute.

These verses and what they represent are deeply rooted in the mind of every Albanians wherever they may be.

In my opinion it is wrong to represent the Kosovo's final status solution as a trade: EU membership for Kosovo's independence.
Nobody should have the right to trade Kosovo's people.
Let the people of Kosovo express their will by implementing a referendum to be hold asap.
For sure someone should be afraid of Kosovo's people opinion.

Tell you what: if a unilateral declaration is called, and the US answers, I see no reason why there shouldn't be unilateral declarations by Serbs in Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia, and hell, even Macedonia. Have Russia recognize them, and we've got dozens of little semi-official statelets dotting the landscape in happy happy bliss.

So Srbija will get into NATO if they trade off Kosovo. . . well does that mean Serbian troops will be brought back into Kosovo?? I mean they would have that right as a NATO member!!

This drive for independence is the biggest fraud and joke of the century, im amazed its still being debated!!! Kosovo je Srbija

Spot on Mike, and like I have stated before the Russians are on a win-win and they know it! The US are in are in a "self made trap"

Maybe the Serbs in Chicago should take note and concentrate their efforts while we are at !!!

Kosovo or any legal part of Serbia can be independent within Serbia only. Bush promise to Albanians is empty story. His words do not have credibility even in US. Serbia should never accept NATO membership and should develop closer ties with Russia and China. EU needs Serbia more than Serbia needs EU membership, considering Serbia’s geographical position. Bush already proved his "Mission Completion" in Iraq.

“The situation can hardly be repaired by the offer from top U.S. officials that should Kosovo-Metohija be granted independence, Serbia will be rewarded with NATO membership,” Koštunica stressed.

I agree 100% with this statement. Absolutely nothing turns my stomach more than the thought of Serbia ever joining NATO. Doing so would be like a form of "bombing yourself". I have read before that a large majority of Serbs do not wish to join NATO- I hope this continues to be true forever, even if Kosovo is torn away- Serbs can still have their dignity on a spiritual level, whicuh is of course what the Kosovo tale is about.

It's quite firm and now very clear, Kosovo will be independent. Serbia and its so called FRIEND Russia have been pushed to the edge diplomatically (the west is not blind Historians know who Kosovo rightful belongs to Albanians Kosovar), I would agree with those serbs who have given up on the dream and ideology of the greater serbia, as your government simply could not coup.

Regardless of the past I feel that we (Kosova, Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Montenegro should move into the new era and join the EU, its about time serbia gives up its dream and gets out of the way for the rest of the region to move away from homophobic nationalism.

A quick prospective. Kosovo will be independent, and USA with its European allies will recognize Kosovo. In order to protect it from Rusian and Serbian threat, billions will be spent to re-build its infrastructure and a modern army. Kosovo will earn billions from its mines and its 600,000 immigrants will pour billions in rebuilding the country. The serbian antagonizm will only organize them and discipline them even better to contribute to their new state.

As for Serbia. I have never seen a country with such a foreign policy, and with such short-sighted and leaders. There are no diplomats in Serbia, only medival extremist leaders, totally out of their time. Gangster like individuals - like Millosevic - with a very unsophisticated political opinion. It's maybe the only country in the Balkan where a extremist party (Radicals) wins over 33% of the votes. This fact spreads fear and in-security in the country and beyond.

It's about time that Serbia stood on it's own two feet with much less reliance on Russia. The simple fact is that Serbia will never be a part of NATO and will never be a part of the EU and they will conveniently be left out as an excuse not to allow Albania or Turkey into the EU. The sooner the population of Serbia realise this and try to turn the country around, the better. Being left out of the E may end up being a great advantage for Serbia - being able to control it's economy with much greater freedom then EU states. they should press for a free trade agreement with the EU, not EU membership.

Nehat, historians, as you claim, do not conclude what "rightfully" belongs to anyone. Maybe your so-called "historians" in Kosovo do for the sake of actually HAVING a history, but any serious historian of the region will conclude that Kosovo's history is a shared history between Serbs, Turks, Greeks, and yes, Albanians. Besides, this whole escapade over Kosovo has nothing to do with history. The US hardly knows who you are, where you are located, and what you do for a living. Ask anyone in America what they think of Albanians and chances are, they'll say, "who?" The US is supporting you because you're basically all we've got left in terms of absolute allies in the world anymore. Plus, we promised you the world in 1999 and it would look pretty stupid for our government to back away from such promises now, especially since you think so highly of us.

Nehat Krasniqi
Sure as soon as all Serbs in northern KOSOVO, Republica Srpska, and Krajina are under Belgrades control. Because they refuse to live with you. Deal? If not you can go to YOUR un-homophobic tirana and complain to bush.

What Tadic and Kostunica have been saying for months remond me of one of the one of Dalida's song: «Paroles! Paroles! Paroles!»

Words, only words, that sound so ackward, so desincarnated from reality. We all know what the Albanians went through under Serbian regime, and the Albanians do not want to live this again, and it is perfectly comprehensible. The Serbs have not one unique intelligent rreason to oblige 90% of a population to have their laws dictated by a minority.


«The settlement of Kosovo status had to be beneficial for the Serbs, ethnic Albanians and the entire region. »

Mr Tadic, this quotation of yours should have been phrases this way: ... beneficial for the majority of the people living in Kosovo, the Albanians, and its minority, the Serbs.

It is about time to put the record straight!

To: Toronto 1

Serbia will never join NATO and in fact NATO'S days are numbered, by 2010 or 2011 don't be surprised to see the last of NATO. And a new European version of NATO formed which will not include the USA. As for Serbia, they only want to pursue the EU and keep their land from being stolen. It's good to see Tadic confirming what Koštunica had said in the past few days. These two must stand united for a stronger Serbia, Koštunica could very well lead Serbia alone, he is the more powerful of the two but standing united with Tadic is all the more better.

To: Nehat Krasniqi

If Serbia and Russia have been pushed to the edge, then why is Kosovo still not independent?

No one said that Serbia will get EU or NATO membership in return if they accept the Kosova's inidipendenc. Bush said, Kosova will be independent no matter what. US is willing to cooperate politicly and economicly with Serbia afterwords but not becuase they accept independence of Kosova. EU on the other hand will require the fulfileent of the conditions for EU membership. As for Russian veto, I dont expect that Russia will even use it, they know daim well that if independece for Kosova with SC Resolution will be a bad precedent (which i don't agree), Kosova's independence without SC Resolution will be a worts precedet. As for the Kosova membershp to the UN. Russia can block the Kosova's memebrship to the UN but there are many states that are not UN memebrs. Swicherland didnt even want to be UN memebr until 3-4 years ago.

I had to see it to believe it - When Bush was visiting Albania, an Albanian stole the watch from his wrist. The man described by Berisha as the greatest person ever to visit Albania has his watch stolen by one of the locals. Looks like the ordinary Albanians don't think much of Bush.

According to Tadic, Serbs and Albanians have to live in Kosovo, and the 250 000 Serbs expelled from the province want to come back to Kosovo. In the 90, as Martic so well stated, life with Croats and Muslims was impossible, how come it is actually possible?



«...this campaign of violence and intimidation against the Croat and non-Serb population was a consequence of the position taken by the leadership that co-existence with the Croat and other non-Serbs, in Milan Martić's own words, "in our Serbian territories of the SAO Krajina [ was ] impossible".

So Victor according to your logic all albanians shall be expelled from Kosovo as all serbs are expelled from Krajina?

Where is your logic or is it all about double standards for you depending om what ethnic group you are talking about?

I don't believe that Bush's words about independence are an empty story. So far US has proven to be a very effective force for the Albanian cause. And we all know that Kosovo Albanians have the support of all sides of the american political spectrum.

The key is Europe. Most likely GB, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Sweeden, and a few other states will recognize Kosovo as an independent state, immediately after US does. The others will follow, as they know very well that a Kosovo under Serbia will never live in peace, which means trouble in the entire region.

As Serbia becomes more and more a Russian satelite, it will alienate itself from the rest of Eastern Europe and EU.

I truly wish Serbia, once a preferred entity of the US who received billions from US, does not move east, and alienate itself like that. I believe that all nations in the region should try to find common grounds to move forward and increase economic cooperation. One way to do that is to at least have the same vision and goals for the future, one of which might be their European integration. It is truly a sad picture to see.

Immediate EU membership is going to be great for Serbia but this should be only the first carrot the EU gives in return for Serbia's cooperation on Kosovo.The EU will pay ALL of Serbia's foreign debt and it will leave the northern part in Serbia along with the mines and agree to have a referendum in Republica Srpska on that republic merging with Serbia.No people in the Balkans should be forced into a lousy marriage.The Albanians cannot live under Belgrade authority and the Serbs cannot live under Sarajevo authority.All groups in the Balkans have their angels and demons just like everywhere else and it is high time to stabilize the Balkans once and for all.It is imperative for NATO/EU to pour massive troops and materiel on the borders between Serbs and Albanians in northern Kosovo and between Serbs and muslims(Republica Srpska and the federation).But first it should completely demilitarize any armed force capability on all sides in those regions.Costa Rica has no army and it is a very peaceful country.

Veritas, it's the Serbian logic that I do not understand. In the 90,, according to Martic, and to Karadzic, and to Milosevic, life wity non-Serbs was impossible? After the events we know, the civils war, the massacres, the crimes, the atrocities, why should life would be more possible now?

All this huffing and puffing of Serbia about 12 or 15% of her territory where the Serbs make up only about 5-7% of the population is getting ridiculous. In 1920 Hungary lost 75% of its territory. More than 1/3 of the Hungarians suddenly found themself in artificially created countries...some 3 millions of them. That was injustice! But Kosovo??

linkhttp://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Bushs-Watch.html

To Justice
Let me give you som more logic with evidence: Ex-Serb leader to serve 35 years

The UN war crimes tribunal has sentenced Milan Martic, the former leader of rebel Serbs in Croatia, to 35 years in jail for crimes committed while rebel Serbs set up a break away state in Croatia.

Martic, 52, was found guilty on Tuesday for war crimes commited against Croats, Muslims and other non Serb civilians during the early 1990s.

Residents in KRAJINA region including women and the elderly were detained, beaten, tortured and murdered by special forces set up by Martic.

His forces also looted and destroyed properties to ensure non-Serbs had no homes to return to.

Martic led the opposition to Croatian independence from Yugoslavia in the largely Serb KRAJINA region.

Rebel Serbs seized control of the area effectively cutting Croatia in half, blocking transport links and ruining tourism.

Martic, a former policeman, was appointed president of a self-proclaimed Serb republic in Croatia in 1994.
He surrendered to the UN tribunal in 2002 and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Just tell me if you need more.

Justice will prevail

One thing is for sure, Laws are made by the people, and for the people, same is valid for changes, amendments to laws. If one country forces one Alliance to intervene in order to protect that country's "citizens" (whose documents were burned at the border when fleeding) in such case country has lost any legal, moral, practical or whatever right to govern such citizens. One can also say that their "citizens" are not their "citizens" anymore due to the nonexistence of their documents that prove that are citizens of such country. Therefore, people know, people see and saw and people decide. Why there is a need for an anti-smoking law when 90 percent of people smoke? Is it feasible to have such law applicable, or should people change it to allow exceptions?

I believe reversed Ahtisari's plan is the solution. Kosovo "remains a part of Serbia" and Albanians get all rights Serb get with Ahtisari Plan. Absolute autonomy (security, economy, health, education), special links to Albania, the right to veto any legislation in the Serb Parliament that may endanger Albanian national rights, protection zones for Albanian historical sites, 30 % of seats in the Parliament of Serbia, at least four ministries (guaranteed by Constitution), Albanian language as official, also guaranteed by Constitution, demilitarization of Kosovo and buffer zone of some 50 km from the border of Kosovo. Serbia keeps Kosovo, Albanians are guaranteed their safety and prosperity. Russia cannot say no to this proposal, it doesnt confront with international law. What will Serbia say?

to PB and other unbelievers!
From the Press Briefing in White House:

Q Finally, was the President's watch lifted in Albania off his wrist?

MR. SNOW: No, it was not. It was placed in his pocket, and I believe your network has actually looked through the tape carefully and has ascertained the same. But, no, the President put it in his pocket, and it returned safely home.

“Belgrade and Priština might, in an open and constructive dialogue, reach an acceptable solution beneficial to both the Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo,” he said.

If it haden't worked for 18 months, why should it work now Mr. Kostunica?

Just another attempt to stall...

First of all, I think Serbia has great leadership in between President Tadic and Prime Minister Kostunica. These two men are very diplomatic individuals who stand alongside their respective principles while also looking forward to a brighter Serbian future.

dennisdrennan, the only thing in between terrorists from the Middle East and Europe, is Serbia. So all of this talk about Serbs being nationalists and crazy war mongers is nothing but the assertion that we are Europeans, that we are Christians, and that we are not going to give up our homeland to Muslim rule. And if Kosovo is given independence, you better believe that the growing separatist Muslim population in the UK will only be encouraged, that the rioting bums in France will only be encouraged, and that the terrorists in the Middle East will only be encouraged.

Here goes Victor again using a quote to destroy his own argument. He quotes Martic «...this campaign of violence and intimidation against the Croat and non-Serb population was a consequence of the position taken by the leadership that co-existence with the Croat and other non-Serbs, [-----] , "in our Serbian territories of the SAO Krajina [ was ] impossible”. One more time Victor cause and effect. He is speaking of Croatia’s leadership not that of Serbia. What did the leadership of Croatia do? Did they punish the mob that killed the Macedonian soldier in Split? No! Did they punish the Croats in Goispic that killed dozen Serbian men and women even before Croatia declared unilateral independence? No! Did the leadership introduce a new law bringing back the fascist symbols and at the same time declaring Serbs as second class citizens in Croatia? Yes! When I visited this part of the world I went into a cemetery in Lika and you know what Victor almost every gravestone in that cemetery had the same date of death on it. Victor did you expect more cemeteries like the one I visited? Metric certainly did not want that. If he killed innocent Croats that was despicable and he should answer for it but if this was done in self defense it is understandable. Victor is like a man sitting on a stove and complains that his backside is on fire and he concludes his argument stating “Martic so well stated, life with Croats and Muslims was impossible, how come it is actually possible?.” Well Vctor because Croats, Muslims, Albanians and all others found sanctuary in Serbia and Montenegro throughout the war that the Croats brought to Yugoslavia. Serbs even saved thousands of Croats as they fled Muslim occupied territories.

PB, let us not brand an ethnic background a theif just because some DUMBASS decides to steal his watch not all albanians are theieves not all Serbs are murders. People tend to place blame on an entire people to show the world how bad or how good people are. A thief is a theif a murderer is a murderer. Pretty hard to contest this when you are caught on camera killing or stealing. People do this not an entire race.

Rather than lecturing to the world about International Law, Kostunica should better surrender the war criminals that he is sheltering in his country. By protecting them, he has declared his allegiance to the same ideals. Kostunica is in fact no different from the likes of Milosevic, Karadzic and Mladic. All he lacks is opportunity.

K16 - your "logic" and "evidence" is irrelevant. When you have a Western backed tribunal what are you expectin to happen? that they find all the serbs not guilty and the croats guilty. don't be so gullible, the courts are biased and everyone who is impartial knows it.

Ari - if he didn't have his watch stolen then it shows everyone what Bush really thinks of the albanians.

=truth

Albanians in general are a very religious tolerant people. Less that 2% of the people of Kosovo actualy "practice" islam.

It is not that we dont respect our religion, we simply do not practice it and there are many reasons for that.

Before the Albanian reneissance, Serbs and Greeks, Turks and Chatholic Rome tried to divide us among religious lines, until some great Albanians said "enough". The Albanian national identity does not revolve around their religion. This is best explained in the following poem by Pashkop Vasa around the end of the 19th century:

Albanians, you are slaying one another,
Some shout for country, some against sin,
One says I'm Turk, another Latin,
Others Greeks or Slavs profess to be,
Fools! You are brothers can't you see?
Priests and mullas have made you mute
To keep you split and destitute.

These verses and what they represent are deeply rooted in the mind of every Albanians wherever they may be.