“Serbia gaining support for new talks”

Violence or unrest will benefit nobody but hardliners, certain politicians and arms dealers. Time for peace and reconcilliation within Serbia.

Bernard Kouchner was and still is one of the most pro-independence European diplomats. And the Slovenes have been pro-independence since day one.

Yes the Ahtisari plan can be changed but not in the parts concerning Sovreignty.

Reconciliation will never happen as long as Serbia retains sovreignty over KosovA, it is impossible for the KosovA Albanians to accept Serbian sovreignty and remain within the borders of the Serbian state.

In the unlikely event the renewed negociations last longer than previously reported then there will be no option for the KosovA Albanians other than to unilateraly declare independence which will lead to de facto partition (Which is clearly the objective of the Serbian government).

I guess Albin Kurti wasnt as delusional as people initially thought when he said "No Negociations - Self Determination" and i am sure his ranks will grow enormously if the status is postponed for an unresonable period of time. An outburst of anger after the statements of President Sarkozy on a 6 month delay was only prevented by Bush's promises in Albania and now after these new development, tensions are rising again.

I also fail to understand what the Serbian government intends to achieve with new negociations. The differences betwen the Serbian government and the KosovA Albanians can simply no be bridged, it is UNTHINKABLE for the KosovA Albanians to remain under the sovreignty of Serbia and it is UNTHINKABLE for the Serbian government to losse the illusion of sovreignty.

By insisting in full independence from Serbia the KosovA Albanians are not thinking as much for themselves as they are thinking for the children and grandchildren, which 20-30 or even a 100 years from now may fall victing to a revocation of their status by someone like Milosevic (and i think we all know Serbia is not short of such individuals).

KosovA (or a major part of it) is going to be independent with or without the EU, with or without the UN and in case the US dows to Russia then with or withou the US.

Short of invading Kosovo there is apsolutely nothing anyone can do to stop 2 million people from doing waht they think is right for their childrens future.

Although, i remain confident in the promise made by President Bush and other US representatives. I am convinced that in the end they will do what is right for the people of KosovA.

Nick,

Ahtisaari in 'principle' - it acn and will be made acceptable by obligations that are already present and respected within the UN resolution 1244 - without that status Quo qill be indefinite !

Lets learn to live in harmony not distrust - attempts to partition the Serbian state undermines any opportunity for reconciliation and trus between all the Serbian people!!

If you need someone to blame - then blame me for all that is wrong! Yes I did not stop the wrongs that took place by all and sor that I am truly sorry but lets not allow it to happen once more!

I would recommend to Serbia and Serbs to not insist to prolong Kosovo status issue, because with this they extend their pains and final act will be more disappointing...

As I have said in previous postings, there is scope for a solution acceptable to both sides.

The politicians on both sides have to work hard and apply real leadership however - as does the international community.

The international community have to be more imaginative about solutions - they are too one sided at the moment and they are also pursuing something that is a very dangerous precedent and of questionable legality. Certainly the recent delays are evidence of this, even if they have not admitted it yet. In my view Russia is not being the 'Great Bear' here, it is actually exercising some good common sense.

However, this should not be about antogonisms. Neither should it be about finding solutions that support single ethnicities and the ethnic cleansing that has been a crime committed by both sides. The international community is right to put a stop to that.

A cooperative solution will do more for the economic future of the area than something that is contentious and enforced.

In my view Serbia has to give a lot of space and accept that governance of Kosovo rests with the local population and is guaranteed by the international community. It appears to be willing to do that. Self governance guaranteed by the international community is not something that Serbia would be able to take away. Serbia has interests in the province, and those interests need to be respected and can be dealt with by diplomatic means.

The key will be to pursue a solution that gives good will and rejects antagonism. This is something the international community can encourage. The threat of violence can be counted by the promise that it will not be allowed to succeed. The best solution would be more likely to emerge if the international community aligned itself with the need to find a positive outcome acceptable to both sides - but then put its strength behind making it happen.

Dane - the people of Kosovo are still currently part of Serbia, therefore the only 'pain' would be the loss of sovereign territory.

Dear Dane,
if you can predict the future so precisely, then could i have the next winning lotto number please?

Till that time, be sure that the Serbian people have gone thru much worse times (1912-1917), and prevailed in the end!!!
So, time to change your bets...

Nick, sovereignty is a grey word...

As far as the Canadian example goes, the Quebecois and Quebec consider themselves a sovereign nation..
In fact, Canada's Prime Minister is pushing for this..

A Sovereign nation of people within a UN recognized country...

But nobody is suggesting Belgrade or Serbia ruling over Kosovo, like the days of past...The days of regime rule are over, and decentralization, an economic reality..

And quite honestly, it seems that only the Albanians are drawing the lines of borders and acceptance through bloodlines, and resentment..

The Albanians do not want to be under the Serbs or Belgrade, nor do the Serbs want to live with the Albanians. If the Kosovo Albanians can break away from the Serb, the Serbs of Kosovo should break away from the Kosovo Albanians. Partition is the only way to resolve this problem once and for all. The internationl community is buying time to give Russia and the U.S. more time to resolve this issue. I just hope the Kosovo Albanians show some maturity and not attack more Serbs like they did a year ago.

nick I don't think there were 2 million albanians in KiM prior to the illegal NATO aggression on Serbia in 99.

The albanian population increased as more albanians flooded KiM from albania after the illegal and brutal NATO campaign. The end result was to ethnically clense all non-Serbs to achieve americas goals.

I don't forsee a halt to Kosovo's independence, but I do believe Serbia will be given a bigger piece of the pie when it comes time to agreeing to a resolution. At most, Kosovo will be placed under international supervision in some form of "interim" phase where there is no formal sovereignty but the region has all the trappings of taking care of local affairs and local government. I believe both Serbia and Kosovo will be givn fast track status to the EU and both will enter at the same time, making border separation all but irrelevant. I also believe Serbs will not need a visa to travel to Kosovo and that the Serb communities will be given dual citizenship between Kosovo and Serbia. The bottom line is that the Albanian position has been unwavering, but has been the most simple: independence at all costs. Pristina has indicated they are willing to sell their left kidney and 5 of their 10 toes if it would give them national sovereignty. In that case, Serbia can still gain much more from an independent Kosovo than it would retaining it under the status quo. Who knows? Maybe a compromised solution will be the reexamination of cantonizing Kosovo as was proposed a few years ago. Not only that, let's not forget the possiblity of the majority of young Albanians seeking better working conditions in Europe. Many will not stay in Kosovo under its collapsing infrastructures and this has been one of the big issues with K-Albanians for decades: immobility.

Nick, there will be no violence just as there has been nothing but words regarding the partition and dismemberment of Serbia. I am dissapointed by your sugestion that

"Reconciliation will never happen as long as Serbia retains sovreignty over KosovA, it is impossible for the KosovA Albanians to accept Serbian sovreignty and remain within the borders of the Serbian state. "

- the crux of the matter is until reconcilation starts then the staus quo continues - 8 years have been wasted in false hopes and aspirations of promises that cannot be delivered why react to make things even worse?

The reality is that Serbia has always and will always retain it's sovereignity - this is evident from the words that ring hollow from Bush since he cannot deliver any more then Clinton & Hobrooke when they formulated and signed 1244! They will always remain words otherwise things would have been different 8 years ago & not just last week!

But don't react negatively - think things through and be positive about what is possible - Serbia is willing to secede autonomy with the guarantor of the EU till reconcilation and trust can be gained and built up - surely with the intention of moving forward to the EU the whole Serbian population can strive to get their faster - let us put the hatred and animosity that has caused great pains to all behind and focus on the positive future that this can bring. The EU are clearly changing emphasis - that is clear for all to see and the US is being left behind - this is not a US "your with US or against US" issue and it is like so many have said a issue that affects Europe more then the US.

Let the opportunity for win-win develope so that all the peoples of Serbia can prosper.

Mike wrote:
"Serbia can still gain much more from an independent Kosovo than it would retaining it under the status quo."

I agree, but HOW do you serve it on a plate, and make it look as if Kosovo wasn't a US blackballed affair, but an issue between two neighbours that have agreed to separate??


So long as preconceived notions of hatred and anger are intact, it's gonna be hard to convince Serbia that she's better off without Kosovo..

After all, houses are built from the ground up....

I believe local level issues are more important currently, and the IC has made a mess of the whole situation.

Kate,
It is true, Kosovo is still part of Serbia - in some old Serbian history and geography books... Latest years and events are telling that Kosovo is functioning as internationaly supervised country on its sure way towards de-jure independence...

Ahilleas,
it's not about bets. Just because of history and years you mention, Albanians are sure what do they want and they wont go back from their goals. It is their natural right assured by many and many international and human rights to be commited for independence and finally have independent Kosovo. You better bet for some open issues in Serbia, this one is almost closed...

"Yes the Ahtisari plan can be changed but not in the parts concerning Sovreignty."
Nick, would you accept the right for all Serbs the world over to live and work in Kosovo and not just those Serbs that lived in Kosovo after 1998?
"it is impossible for the KosovA Albanians to accept Serbian sovreignty and remain within the borders of the Serbian state."
I have to agree that I don't think the offer Serbia has come up with so far is adequate for your needs. Serbia needs to offer more.
"I also fail to understand what the Serbian government intends to achieve with new negociations."
In all likelihood they may be waiting for Albanians to engage in violence again, which would help the Serbian side greatly at this point. It could also be to give partition a better chance. If Ahtisaari's plan is delayed long enough, partition might start to look better and better.
"there will be no option for the KosovA Albanians other than to unilateraly declare independence which will lead to de facto partition (Which is clearly the objective of the Serbian government)."
It is still my hope that we don't follow that path, but instead discuss partition in a rational manner and not at the point of a gun.
"By insisting in full independence from Serbia the KosovA Albanians are not thinking as much for themselves as they are thinking for the children and grandchildren, which 20-30 or even a 100 years from now may fall victing to a revocation of their status by someone like Milosevic"
By joining the EU that would eliminate this as a possibility. I do agree that the Serbian proposal doesn't seem to have enough safe guards to prevent this possibility. So at this point, I am going to agree with you, however, I do think its possible to structure it in such a way as to ensure that this does not happen.
"Short of invading Kosovo there is apsolutely nothing anyone can do to stop 2 million people from doing waht they think is right for their childrens future."
Its not going to come down to that, but if it does, its not going to be Serbia invading but European countries.
I wouldn't worry too much about it Nick, I think all this means is that the EU is going to take Serbia's concerns about the situation a little more seriously. Ahtisaari's plan is very bad for us Serbs, so its not an acceptable proposal. Clearly we will get more carrots. It is my hope that the Serbian government will now get serious about dealing with their issues and give a public apology and some reparations and such. Now is clearly a very good time for the Serbian government to reach out to the Albanian community and truly try to reach a compromise that works.
Be patient Nick, I know its hard, but we must have a solution that doesn't just setup the region for future conflicts. If the EU is not careful, the Balkans will destroy its future. Its not just us, its all of Europe's future that is at stake as well.

great.

a K-albanian gives recommendations to Serbia! =)

First of all, if I was an Albanian I would learn that the true name is Kosovo i Metohija, something most Albanians stubbornly refuse to admit although there is no doubt about origin and history of that name...

and then I would take some learning-book about international law...

wake up Albanians, since you don´t have any moral or legal right to take away serbian territory, you are reduced to blackmail and violence as a means to reach a "greater Albania"...but, any illegal action will remain illegal with all consequences. remembe r Blag who reminded you several times of the problems the Albanians would have once they chose the "hard way"...

and just to remind you, it´s Kosovo with an "o"... you know it, even if it hurts.

Dane, Kosovo isn't still just part of Serbia in old Serbian Geography & History books. Go to the CIA Factbook 2007, or ANY encyclopedia, better yet check out the map of Serbia at the United Nations. Resolution 1244 declares Kosovo an INTEGRAL part of Serbian Territory. This was signed by even your OWN government.

Its so easy to discredit and destroy comments like yours with simple facts even a child can verify. The truth is Serbia has survived even bigger threats to its sovereignty that those facing it today. We are not afraid, for we have succeed every time in the past.

Matthew,

“Nick, would you accept the right for all Serbs the world over to live and work in Kosovo and not just those Serbs that lived in Kosovo after 1998?”

My answer would most definitely be a very big YES. I have no problem with individual Serbs that come in peace to live or work in Kosovo and neither do most people i know. Some posters here obviously have the wrong impression about us (Kosova Albanians), our goal is not to terrorize or violate the rights of Serbs. There were reprisals against many Serbs and although i am not trying to justify the crimes committed after the War i must ask you to at least try to imagine how a person would feel if he would return to his city or village and find his home burned to the ground or member of his family killed. What most people fail to comprehend is the sheer scale of destruction the Serbian Army and Police did in Kosova and unless you had visited Kosova in the first 2 years after the war I suspect one will never truly understand (except reasonable and open minded people who understand what humans are really capable of)

“I have to agree that I don't think the offer Serbia has come up with so far is adequate for your needs. Serbia needs to offer more.”

Between 1990 – 1999 our leaders dropped on their knees begging Milosevic to give us our autonomy back, and when that failed the demands were switched to full independence. Truth is Serbia never presented a reasonable solution to the status of Kosova, even now that Serbia is closer than ever to losing Kosova they are even more stubborn, it is as if they are intentionally trying to lose Kosova. Leaders in Serbia have turned what was supposed to be an emotional and honest fight to keep Kosovo into a political circus, because quite frankly if they were really interested in keeping Kosova then they would have came up with solutions that make at least some minimal amount of sense.

I believe Serb politicians have no idea whatsoever what to do with Kosova, on one side they say they want to protect Serbia’s border while on the other they are convinced that Kosova Albanians should not be integrated into Serbian society. I simply don’t understand how a country can hope to protect its borders by rejecting the people that live within them.

In fact the Serbian cause could really use a person who will truly try to listen to the people of Kosova, apologize for the crimes committed against them and at the very least try to convince them that perhaps living within the borders of Serbia isn’t such a bad idea. Instead the Serbian leaders have met every statement from the people of Kosova and their representatives with the hostility and prejudice that characterizes Serbian politics.

Many posters here talk about reconciliation but as now no Serbian politician has shown the courage to come to Prishtina and apologize for the crimes. If they consider us Serbian citizens then why don’t they come to Kosova and try to bridge the differences between our two people. Mr. Kostunica visited the Serbian enclaves some time ago and used the same old rhetoric inciting more hatred.

“By joining the EU that would eliminate this as a possibility. I do agree that the Serbian proposal doesn't seem to have enough safe guards to prevent this possibility. So at this point, I am going to agree with you, however, I do think its possible to structure it in such a way as to ensure that this does not happen.”

Even though joining the EU would certainly help to prevent a new Milosevic, the Kosova Albanians are not willing to take that chance. The independence process has moved too much now to go back and it would be political suicide for any Kosova Albanian politician to even consider a solution that does not involve independence.

Matthew, our leadership is under enormous pressure right now. It is the people of Kosova who are the most radical party in Kosova and it them that will make no compromises over their future.

“Its not going to come down to that, but if it does, its not going to be Serbia invading but European countries”

Hence the word “anyone” in that paragraph of my comment.

“Be patient Nick, I know its hard, but we must have a solution that doesn't just setup the region for future conflicts. If the EU is not careful, the Balkans will destroy its future. Its not just us, its all of Europe's future that is at stake as well.”

Time is something we do not have. We have been asked the same thing since 1989 when Rugova told us to be patient, and after 1999 when UNMIK removed every word from every government document that may be interpreted as “prejudicing independence” and told us to be patient. And now 8 years after the war and 13 months of negotiations people are still telling us to be patient again.

Enough with patient, our patience has run out, its now or never, and if our leaders can not secure independence for Kosova soon then the people will do it for them.

Serbs and Serbia should be smart and accept the inevitable and try to gain as much as they can within the new country of Kosova. There is everything to gain for them in an independent Kosova and everything to loses if they keep the status quo and force the people of Kosova into a corner.

International Financial Institutions will not assist Kosova with loans to kick start the economy and investors will not come until the status issue is settled.

This has created a desperate economical situation in Kosova and pushed the people of Kosova into a corner. They will not stay there for long.

Some of the readers here try to make things to fancy. Things are very simple. One side is for independence, the other is not for independence. I don't see how autonomy ( not independence) is a compromise between the two sides, and I don't see how independence is a compromise. So there are two other options left which could be called a compromise. One is division of Kosovo/a, and the other is a Confederation made of two independent states, Kosovo/a and Serbia. Regarding division- it has a 0% chance of happening because:
1. The international community does not want it.
2. Even if Serbs and Albanians discussed for a million years they would never agree on how to divide the territories. The fact that Kosovo/a is still an issue today, since 1912 at least, says a lot about the ability of Albanians and Serbs to communicate, reach compromises and trust each other.
Regarding the Confederation of two independent states, that would be a solution that the international community might respect as a compromise,since Kosovo/a and Serbia would still be somehow linked but each of them would be independent states at the same time.However neither of the sides is willing to offer or even accept this solution as a compromise.
So what's left with these two opposing views from the Serbs and Albanians? Well, wisely the international community has taken it upon itself to reach a compromise between themselves, and forget about the two involved parties since they will never reach a compromise between them.
If we are not to deceive ourselves here, be it Albanian or Serb, we know full well that when it comes to Kosovo/a sovereignty question we will never agree with each other be it now or a million years from now. Our two nations have no respect whatsoever towards each other, neither do we have trust. We have been living in this peninsula close to each other for thousands of years. During all those years we have never sincerely trusted and respected each other; most of the time we have despised each other as nations and looked down on each other. So it is very romantic to talk about reconciliation between our nations, but the reality is that it will never happen. It didn't happen for the last thousands of years, it will not happen in the next thousands of years, lets not even speak about the near future.
So whether you agree or not, the issue of Kosovo/a will be imposed from the international community, simply because we ourselves lack the ability to do it. Even in this forum, its easy to see how we cannot communicate respectfully and agree on anything. Anyways to end it, like it or not the solution will be imposed.

To: Dane

Buy a map and you will see that Kosovo is a Provence in Serbia. Even world maps sold in Kosovo will indicate the same thing! You are a Serbian citizen, if you claim you are not, then you are a nomad and last I checked nomads are people without identity or country. Is that what you are?

Kosovo is just a slavic toponimy that invaders gave to our Dardania during the occupation and now consider it as legal. By the way, your occupation is over, Dardania is free (and soon will be Independent). It would be good if you open some history books, but please, not those in which the year zero is considered when serbs arrived in Europe.

PS. Oh, and by the way, "Metohija" is a greek word. And "Serbia" a latin one. Should Greece and Italy consider serb territory as the cradles of their civilizations?

it is not Luis Adamo, it's Amado...

"There were reprisals against many Serbs and although i am not trying to justify the crimes committed after the War i must ask you to at least try to imagine how a person would feel if he would return to his city or village and find his home burned to the ground or member of his family killed. (Nick, Wednesday, 20 June, 2007, 00:34)"
You know Nick, I do try to imagine it, as hard as that is for someone who comes from my affluent background. My brother in law's house was burned and his village destroyed in Operation Storm. That is why I try my best to find common goals for both our people, so those types of things never happen again. I abhor the use of violence in any circumstance. This is also why I've decided to oppose the Serbian proposal, as I do not believe it offers your people enough protections and rights, as well as apologies. I honestly believe that some apologies and some real actions to repair some of the damage done could go very far in helping a least to compromise a little. I agree with you about the mistakes the Serbian government has made and hopefully someday they'll learn from them. The way they handled the war in the 90's was as stupid as stupid gets. I honestly thought they matured from that.
To be perfectly honest, I'm furious that the Serbian government isn't taking this seriously and offering your people some true concessions and a real chance for a better future for your people. Although I oppose full independence for Kosovo, I do support granting your people decent living conditions and the right to determine your own future. I do strongly feel partition has the best chance of this, but if they are going to offer you autonomy, make it real autonomy and not this joke. As much as I disagree with Ahtisaari's proposal, it does offer Serbs more protections then what the Serbian proposal offers the Albanians. However, that being said, the Serbian proposal does have some very good ideas on reconciliation that I think should be worked into any final status for Kosovo.
I know your people got us real good in WWII, and after the NATO bombing, but in my mind that doesn't excuse us Serbs from making the apologies we need to make. I only bring it up at times because I personally feel that we Serbs have had all the blame for the violence put upon us as a whole, and I don't think that's right. I believe there were people on both sides that welcomed the violence and promoted it for their own vile interests. But whatever, I can not control your side, all I can do is make apologies for the crimes committed in the name of my people and hope that in time, moderates from your side will do the same when they feel ready.
I do feel badly about the wait for your people, and I sympathize with the frustration. I still blame the West. Had they put all options on the table and not promised full independence from the start, I think we could have come to a compromise on partition by now. I'm sure you'll have your independence, however, I think it will involve partition. Let's just hope its through the UNSC and not through the barrel of a gun.
Anyways, personally for me if you were to allow all Serbs the world over the fundamental right to live and work in peace in Kosovo, modify Ahtisaari's proposal so you can not repeal our protections, and grant Vatican level status to our church there, there's a good chance I would not strongly oppose independence on those terms. I don't think I could support that, but I think maybe I could live with that. In a way that may be better then partition.
I do like Albanians, and I think the culture is super cool. I love Clans, and being a member of a mixed clan as I am, I can not but respect your people. However, I also feel very strongly that our heritage and culture are important to us. Being Montenegrin Nobility, my family fought for hundreds of years to preserve our identity and the memory of Kosovo. I can not disgrace the memory of my forefather's by turning my back on our history. However, I want the land AND the people. Albanians are very cool in their own right. At least it seems to me, relations between Albanians and Montenegrins are getting a little better.
Anyways, to everyone here, I would very much like to see more constructive dialog instead of the same nonsense everyday. I know its not going to happen, but I would really like to see a more intelligent discussion. I miss Blag!!!!! Where the heck is he, at least then we had some real discussions.

“Regarding division- it has a 0% chance of happening because:
1. The international community does not want it. (Johny, Wednesday, 20 June, 2007, 03:58)”

Even James Lyon of the ICG, an organization traditionally opposed to partition said lately “In theory, if the Albanians and Serbs would agree among themselves to peacefully partition Kosovo, no one in the international community would object.”

http://blog.b92.net/arhiva/node/5156#comment

“2. Even if Serbs and Albanians discussed for a million years they would never agree on how to divide the territories.”

The base plan would be by ethnic composition, ie North of the Ibar. Then we could haggle over Trepca (and land corridor) and Presevo for some important religious sites (and land corridor) with very generous budgets for those who feel the desire to relocate, like mansions on the coast or something. I’m willing to bet the starting position for most Albanians here is by ethnic lines + Presevo just for the option to partition. We most certainly could come to an agreement.

Regardless, partition is not only plausible, but highly likely. Either it will happen through the UNSC or in the worst case scenario, through the US and Russia at the barrel of a gun.

There are of course other options available if the EU were serious, like let all of Serbia fully (no second class stuff) into the EU right now, Kosovo and everyone. Borders would instantly become moot. That’s the end goal anyways, why not press for it now?

However, I highly suggest a regional solution as so many unresolved conflicts remain in the area. It’s still a ticking time bomb.

I fully agree with Matthew. I think partition along ethnic lines should be acceptable for albanians in Kosovo given they populate 90% of the territory there. On the other hand, I fully understand that for serbs there are important issues such as orthodox heritage located in depth of the territory. If I was a Kosovo leader I would accept as fair a deal which would give to the most important worship places of serbs in Kosovo a Vatican minus status, (in order not to transform them in enclaves which one day would be used by nationalists as cradles to incite conflict). I think serbs (like all the people of the world) have all the right to visit and protect important worship places everywhere in the world including those in Kosovo which are special for them. I am sure that if the Albania's government would have to deal with this issue, it wouldnt be a problem for it (we have a great tradition of cultural and religious cohabitation here). But I don't know how Kosovo's leadership would see a proposal of this kind. On my opinion, Serbia's government should give a signal of opening a new chapter of relations between the two nations. Belgrade should use this 120 days given by International community, to recognize the first among the countries the independence of Kosovo, and later to be engaged together with the authorities there (which by the way would be more confident and relaxed after such a decision), in a internationally supervised process of "border demarcation". After this process, Zubin Potok and Zvecan would be given to Serbia and Presheva & Bujanovc to Kosovo. But at the end of the day, albanians would save their face in front of public saying that: Kosovo wasnt divided, we just exchanged two communes of serbs with two communes of albanians. Another deal on sharing Trepca mines would be also unavoidable. But I think that in a spirit of cooperation created this way, this process wouldnt be such a tragedy like albanians and serbs in Kosovo try to depictid nowadays.
Regards,
Klaudian, Tirana

PS. And Matthew, true that your observation about relations among albanians and montenegrins. Budva rocks. I'll be there next month for the Rolling Stones concert. Peace.

Princip UK:
When you talk about reconciliation and trust amon all the Serbian people, you just offend albanians. After what Serbia have done since 1913 in order to assimilate albanians and transform them - at the end of the day - in "serbs", listening you, today, here, after all what happened, offering as a perspective a Serbia where albanians are transformed in serbs, it just convince us that nothing has changed. Albanians dont want to be serbs. They dont want to be considered serbs. And they dont want to share the same roof with serbs. There is nothing to envy for them on being serbs. Serbia is not USA when you can be chinese, but whith a US passport you can feel an american.

To: Klaudian

If you do not want to be a Serbian citizen then go to Albania and be a Albanian citizen. You live in Serbia thus you must conform to it or simply move somewhere else where you will be happy. I am Canadien and if I didn't like being Canadien I would not be living here. What is the problem with people like you? I will never understand why you feel Serbia or for that matter the world owes you something.

Klaudian,

I greatly appreciate your input and suggestions, thank you for taking the time to respond to me. If more of us tried to find acceptable solutions and actually engage in speaking with one another, we might just be able to find a way out of this mess that provides a better future for all our children.

Budva is fun, and very "fancy" with plenty of beautiful women, however I prefer Kotor Bay. If you make it to Kotor for some reason, in the main sqaure in front is the Bjeladinovic Palace, my family built that with gold from the California gold rush.

I hope someday to be able to visit Albania and in particular Kosovo. I'd actually like to purchase some land, probably near Pec. Seems to me that all the Albanians I've talked to here on B92 from the Pec region are fairly moderate and I think it would be nice to spend some real time there.

Is the same as if at the block where you live in Canada, you and the community of serbs living there would decide to declare "serb" everyone from the autoctone population you found there.
If you emigrate to somewhere and you decide to fit to that new identity, you can do it. But if a country occupy you, and force you to leave your identity and to take theirs, I find it as illegal. I think, this is the problem albanians in Kosovo have. Serbs came to their land in 1913 and settled there a state which albanians didnt recognize. Serbs tried all the means to assimilate them (including expulsion, violence and torture). Thanks God I am from Albania and I am an albanian citizen. But the language you are using "if you want to be albanian go to Albania" reminds me of Milosevic's rhetorics. Albanians are not immigrants in Kosovo. The contrary is the truth. Serbs came in Europe in the 7-th century.

Canadien,

Kloadian said:

"I am sure that if the Albania's government would have to deal with this issue, it wouldnt be a problem for it (we have a great tradition of cultural and religious cohabitation here)."

Which means he cant go back to Albania because he is an Albanian living in Albania.

Next time, please do us the favor of reading comments before posting nonsense.

Canadien said.

If you do not want to be a Serbian citizen then go to Albania and be a Albanian citizen.



Its because of attitudes like these that the war happened, and certainly if that rhetoric is still used, then other wars will happen. You can't force people to be what they don't want to be.
Like you say further, you are Canadien cuz you like being Canadien, however nobody can force you to be one if you don't like it. What you are suggesting is another ethnic cleansing, either declare yourself Serbian or be removed. Where you in a comma when the war happened? Nobody owns Albanians anything, and certainly they will never bow or surrender to any pressure into accepting to believe something which they are not; Serbs. Certainly leaving is out of the question. By the same token Serbs should have left Europe for not collaborating and doing what the EU wants them to do. That is a very naive and dangerous way of thinking.

Ahilleas Aspetus. The proto-hellenic quasi-pelasgyc language of Homer suggests that this name has a meaning in one of the languages descending from that ancient idiomma. So, look for a translation either to the nowadays greek or to the albanian. Ahileas Aspetus the name for the fast guy of Illiade.Your ancestors would be ashamed to learn that you sell your ancient PELASGIAN - HELLENIC identity for that orthodox byzantine one, which makes you ally with the slavic new entries of Balcans. At the end of the day, you'll see that religions for an ancient nation might change, but blood remains still the same.

Violence or unrest will benefit nobody but hardliners, certain politicians and arms dealers. Time for peace and reconcilliation within Serbia.

Bernard Kouchner was and still is one of the most pro-independence European diplomats. And the Slovenes have been pro-independence since day one.

Yes the Ahtisari plan can be changed but not in the parts concerning Sovreignty.

Reconciliation will never happen as long as Serbia retains sovreignty over KosovA, it is impossible for the KosovA Albanians to accept Serbian sovreignty and remain within the borders of the Serbian state.

In the unlikely event the renewed negociations last longer than previously reported then there will be no option for the KosovA Albanians other than to unilateraly declare independence which will lead to de facto partition (Which is clearly the objective of the Serbian government).

I guess Albin Kurti wasnt as delusional as people initially thought when he said "No Negociations - Self Determination" and i am sure his ranks will grow enormously if the status is postponed for an unresonable period of time. An outburst of anger after the statements of President Sarkozy on a 6 month delay was only prevented by Bush's promises in Albania and now after these new development, tensions are rising again.

I also fail to understand what the Serbian government intends to achieve with new negociations. The differences betwen the Serbian government and the KosovA Albanians can simply no be bridged, it is UNTHINKABLE for the KosovA Albanians to remain under the sovreignty of Serbia and it is UNTHINKABLE for the Serbian government to losse the illusion of sovreignty.

By insisting in full independence from Serbia the KosovA Albanians are not thinking as much for themselves as they are thinking for the children and grandchildren, which 20-30 or even a 100 years from now may fall victing to a revocation of their status by someone like Milosevic (and i think we all know Serbia is not short of such individuals).

KosovA (or a major part of it) is going to be independent with or without the EU, with or without the UN and in case the US dows to Russia then with or withou the US.

Short of invading Kosovo there is apsolutely nothing anyone can do to stop 2 million people from doing waht they think is right for their childrens future.

Although, i remain confident in the promise made by President Bush and other US representatives. I am convinced that in the end they will do what is right for the people of KosovA.

Nick,

Ahtisaari in 'principle' - it acn and will be made acceptable by obligations that are already present and respected within the UN resolution 1244 - without that status Quo qill be indefinite !

Lets learn to live in harmony not distrust - attempts to partition the Serbian state undermines any opportunity for reconciliation and trus between all the Serbian people!!

If you need someone to blame - then blame me for all that is wrong! Yes I did not stop the wrongs that took place by all and sor that I am truly sorry but lets not allow it to happen once more!

I would recommend to Serbia and Serbs to not insist to prolong Kosovo status issue, because with this they extend their pains and final act will be more disappointing...

As I have said in previous postings, there is scope for a solution acceptable to both sides.

The politicians on both sides have to work hard and apply real leadership however - as does the international community.

The international community have to be more imaginative about solutions - they are too one sided at the moment and they are also pursuing something that is a very dangerous precedent and of questionable legality. Certainly the recent delays are evidence of this, even if they have not admitted it yet. In my view Russia is not being the 'Great Bear' here, it is actually exercising some good common sense.

However, this should not be about antogonisms. Neither should it be about finding solutions that support single ethnicities and the ethnic cleansing that has been a crime committed by both sides. The international community is right to put a stop to that.

A cooperative solution will do more for the economic future of the area than something that is contentious and enforced.

In my view Serbia has to give a lot of space and accept that governance of Kosovo rests with the local population and is guaranteed by the international community. It appears to be willing to do that. Self governance guaranteed by the international community is not something that Serbia would be able to take away. Serbia has interests in the province, and those interests need to be respected and can be dealt with by diplomatic means.

The key will be to pursue a solution that gives good will and rejects antagonism. This is something the international community can encourage. The threat of violence can be counted by the promise that it will not be allowed to succeed. The best solution would be more likely to emerge if the international community aligned itself with the need to find a positive outcome acceptable to both sides - but then put its strength behind making it happen.

Dane - the people of Kosovo are still currently part of Serbia, therefore the only 'pain' would be the loss of sovereign territory.

Dear Dane,
if you can predict the future so precisely, then could i have the next winning lotto number please?

Till that time, be sure that the Serbian people have gone thru much worse times (1912-1917), and prevailed in the end!!!
So, time to change your bets...

Nick, sovereignty is a grey word...

As far as the Canadian example goes, the Quebecois and Quebec consider themselves a sovereign nation..
In fact, Canada's Prime Minister is pushing for this..

A Sovereign nation of people within a UN recognized country...

But nobody is suggesting Belgrade or Serbia ruling over Kosovo, like the days of past...The days of regime rule are over, and decentralization, an economic reality..

And quite honestly, it seems that only the Albanians are drawing the lines of borders and acceptance through bloodlines, and resentment..

The Albanians do not want to be under the Serbs or Belgrade, nor do the Serbs want to live with the Albanians. If the Kosovo Albanians can break away from the Serb, the Serbs of Kosovo should break away from the Kosovo Albanians. Partition is the only way to resolve this problem once and for all. The internationl community is buying time to give Russia and the U.S. more time to resolve this issue. I just hope the Kosovo Albanians show some maturity and not attack more Serbs like they did a year ago.

nick I don't think there were 2 million albanians in KiM prior to the illegal NATO aggression on Serbia in 99.

The albanian population increased as more albanians flooded KiM from albania after the illegal and brutal NATO campaign. The end result was to ethnically clense all non-Serbs to achieve americas goals.

I don't forsee a halt to Kosovo's independence, but I do believe Serbia will be given a bigger piece of the pie when it comes time to agreeing to a resolution. At most, Kosovo will be placed under international supervision in some form of "interim" phase where there is no formal sovereignty but the region has all the trappings of taking care of local affairs and local government. I believe both Serbia and Kosovo will be givn fast track status to the EU and both will enter at the same time, making border separation all but irrelevant. I also believe Serbs will not need a visa to travel to Kosovo and that the Serb communities will be given dual citizenship between Kosovo and Serbia. The bottom line is that the Albanian position has been unwavering, but has been the most simple: independence at all costs. Pristina has indicated they are willing to sell their left kidney and 5 of their 10 toes if it would give them national sovereignty. In that case, Serbia can still gain much more from an independent Kosovo than it would retaining it under the status quo. Who knows? Maybe a compromised solution will be the reexamination of cantonizing Kosovo as was proposed a few years ago. Not only that, let's not forget the possiblity of the majority of young Albanians seeking better working conditions in Europe. Many will not stay in Kosovo under its collapsing infrastructures and this has been one of the big issues with K-Albanians for decades: immobility.

Nick, there will be no violence just as there has been nothing but words regarding the partition and dismemberment of Serbia. I am dissapointed by your sugestion that

"Reconciliation will never happen as long as Serbia retains sovreignty over KosovA, it is impossible for the KosovA Albanians to accept Serbian sovreignty and remain within the borders of the Serbian state. "

- the crux of the matter is until reconcilation starts then the staus quo continues - 8 years have been wasted in false hopes and aspirations of promises that cannot be delivered why react to make things even worse?

The reality is that Serbia has always and will always retain it's sovereignity - this is evident from the words that ring hollow from Bush since he cannot deliver any more then Clinton & Hobrooke when they formulated and signed 1244! They will always remain words otherwise things would have been different 8 years ago & not just last week!

But don't react negatively - think things through and be positive about what is possible - Serbia is willing to secede autonomy with the guarantor of the EU till reconcilation and trust can be gained and built up - surely with the intention of moving forward to the EU the whole Serbian population can strive to get their faster - let us put the hatred and animosity that has caused great pains to all behind and focus on the positive future that this can bring. The EU are clearly changing emphasis - that is clear for all to see and the US is being left behind - this is not a US "your with US or against US" issue and it is like so many have said a issue that affects Europe more then the US.

Let the opportunity for win-win develope so that all the peoples of Serbia can prosper.

Mike wrote:
"Serbia can still gain much more from an independent Kosovo than it would retaining it under the status quo."

I agree, but HOW do you serve it on a plate, and make it look as if Kosovo wasn't a US blackballed affair, but an issue between two neighbours that have agreed to separate??


So long as preconceived notions of hatred and anger are intact, it's gonna be hard to convince Serbia that she's better off without Kosovo..

After all, houses are built from the ground up....

I believe local level issues are more important currently, and the IC has made a mess of the whole situation.

Kate,
It is true, Kosovo is still part of Serbia - in some old Serbian history and geography books... Latest years and events are telling that Kosovo is functioning as internationaly supervised country on its sure way towards de-jure independence...

Ahilleas,
it's not about bets. Just because of history and years you mention, Albanians are sure what do they want and they wont go back from their goals. It is their natural right assured by many and many international and human rights to be commited for independence and finally have independent Kosovo. You better bet for some open issues in Serbia, this one is almost closed...

"Yes the Ahtisari plan can be changed but not in the parts concerning Sovreignty."
Nick, would you accept the right for all Serbs the world over to live and work in Kosovo and not just those Serbs that lived in Kosovo after 1998?
"it is impossible for the KosovA Albanians to accept Serbian sovreignty and remain within the borders of the Serbian state."
I have to agree that I don't think the offer Serbia has come up with so far is adequate for your needs. Serbia needs to offer more.
"I also fail to understand what the Serbian government intends to achieve with new negociations."
In all likelihood they may be waiting for Albanians to engage in violence again, which would help the Serbian side greatly at this point. It could also be to give partition a better chance. If Ahtisaari's plan is delayed long enough, partition might start to look better and better.
"there will be no option for the KosovA Albanians other than to unilateraly declare independence which will lead to de facto partition (Which is clearly the objective of the Serbian government)."
It is still my hope that we don't follow that path, but instead discuss partition in a rational manner and not at the point of a gun.
"By insisting in full independence from Serbia the KosovA Albanians are not thinking as much for themselves as they are thinking for the children and grandchildren, which 20-30 or even a 100 years from now may fall victing to a revocation of their status by someone like Milosevic"
By joining the EU that would eliminate this as a possibility. I do agree that the Serbian proposal doesn't seem to have enough safe guards to prevent this possibility. So at this point, I am going to agree with you, however, I do think its possible to structure it in such a way as to ensure that this does not happen.
"Short of invading Kosovo there is apsolutely nothing anyone can do to stop 2 million people from doing waht they think is right for their childrens future."
Its not going to come down to that, but if it does, its not going to be Serbia invading but European countries.
I wouldn't worry too much about it Nick, I think all this means is that the EU is going to take Serbia's concerns about the situation a little more seriously. Ahtisaari's plan is very bad for us Serbs, so its not an acceptable proposal. Clearly we will get more carrots. It is my hope that the Serbian government will now get serious about dealing with their issues and give a public apology and some reparations and such. Now is clearly a very good time for the Serbian government to reach out to the Albanian community and truly try to reach a compromise that works.
Be patient Nick, I know its hard, but we must have a solution that doesn't just setup the region for future conflicts. If the EU is not careful, the Balkans will destroy its future. Its not just us, its all of Europe's future that is at stake as well.

great.

a K-albanian gives recommendations to Serbia! =)

First of all, if I was an Albanian I would learn that the true name is Kosovo i Metohija, something most Albanians stubbornly refuse to admit although there is no doubt about origin and history of that name...

and then I would take some learning-book about international law...

wake up Albanians, since you don´t have any moral or legal right to take away serbian territory, you are reduced to blackmail and violence as a means to reach a "greater Albania"...but, any illegal action will remain illegal with all consequences. remembe r Blag who reminded you several times of the problems the Albanians would have once they chose the "hard way"...

and just to remind you, it´s Kosovo with an "o"... you know it, even if it hurts.

Dane, Kosovo isn't still just part of Serbia in old Serbian Geography & History books. Go to the CIA Factbook 2007, or ANY encyclopedia, better yet check out the map of Serbia at the United Nations. Resolution 1244 declares Kosovo an INTEGRAL part of Serbian Territory. This was signed by even your OWN government.

Its so easy to discredit and destroy comments like yours with simple facts even a child can verify. The truth is Serbia has survived even bigger threats to its sovereignty that those facing it today. We are not afraid, for we have succeed every time in the past.

Matthew,

“Nick, would you accept the right for all Serbs the world over to live and work in Kosovo and not just those Serbs that lived in Kosovo after 1998?”

My answer would most definitely be a very big YES. I have no problem with individual Serbs that come in peace to live or work in Kosovo and neither do most people i know. Some posters here obviously have the wrong impression about us (Kosova Albanians), our goal is not to terrorize or violate the rights of Serbs. There were reprisals against many Serbs and although i am not trying to justify the crimes committed after the War i must ask you to at least try to imagine how a person would feel if he would return to his city or village and find his home burned to the ground or member of his family killed. What most people fail to comprehend is the sheer scale of destruction the Serbian Army and Police did in Kosova and unless you had visited Kosova in the first 2 years after the war I suspect one will never truly understand (except reasonable and open minded people who understand what humans are really capable of)

“I have to agree that I don't think the offer Serbia has come up with so far is adequate for your needs. Serbia needs to offer more.”

Between 1990 – 1999 our leaders dropped on their knees begging Milosevic to give us our autonomy back, and when that failed the demands were switched to full independence. Truth is Serbia never presented a reasonable solution to the status of Kosova, even now that Serbia is closer than ever to losing Kosova they are even more stubborn, it is as if they are intentionally trying to lose Kosova. Leaders in Serbia have turned what was supposed to be an emotional and honest fight to keep Kosovo into a political circus, because quite frankly if they were really interested in keeping Kosova then they would have came up with solutions that make at least some minimal amount of sense.

I believe Serb politicians have no idea whatsoever what to do with Kosova, on one side they say they want to protect Serbia’s border while on the other they are convinced that Kosova Albanians should not be integrated into Serbian society. I simply don’t understand how a country can hope to protect its borders by rejecting the people that live within them.

In fact the Serbian cause could really use a person who will truly try to listen to the people of Kosova, apologize for the crimes committed against them and at the very least try to convince them that perhaps living within the borders of Serbia isn’t such a bad idea. Instead the Serbian leaders have met every statement from the people of Kosova and their representatives with the hostility and prejudice that characterizes Serbian politics.

Many posters here talk about reconciliation but as now no Serbian politician has shown the courage to come to Prishtina and apologize for the crimes. If they consider us Serbian citizens then why don’t they come to Kosova and try to bridge the differences between our two people. Mr. Kostunica visited the Serbian enclaves some time ago and used the same old rhetoric inciting more hatred.

“By joining the EU that would eliminate this as a possibility. I do agree that the Serbian proposal doesn't seem to have enough safe guards to prevent this possibility. So at this point, I am going to agree with you, however, I do think its possible to structure it in such a way as to ensure that this does not happen.”

Even though joining the EU would certainly help to prevent a new Milosevic, the Kosova Albanians are not willing to take that chance. The independence process has moved too much now to go back and it would be political suicide for any Kosova Albanian politician to even consider a solution that does not involve independence.

Matthew, our leadership is under enormous pressure right now. It is the people of Kosova who are the most radical party in Kosova and it them that will make no compromises over their future.

“Its not going to come down to that, but if it does, its not going to be Serbia invading but European countries”

Hence the word “anyone” in that paragraph of my comment.

“Be patient Nick, I know its hard, but we must have a solution that doesn't just setup the region for future conflicts. If the EU is not careful, the Balkans will destroy its future. Its not just us, its all of Europe's future that is at stake as well.”

Time is something we do not have. We have been asked the same thing since 1989 when Rugova told us to be patient, and after 1999 when UNMIK removed every word from every government document that may be interpreted as “prejudicing independence” and told us to be patient. And now 8 years after the war and 13 months of negotiations people are still telling us to be patient again.

Enough with patient, our patience has run out, its now or never, and if our leaders can not secure independence for Kosova soon then the people will do it for them.

Serbs and Serbia should be smart and accept the inevitable and try to gain as much as they can within the new country of Kosova. There is everything to gain for them in an independent Kosova and everything to loses if they keep the status quo and force the people of Kosova into a corner.

International Financial Institutions will not assist Kosova with loans to kick start the economy and investors will not come until the status issue is settled.

This has created a desperate economical situation in Kosova and pushed the people of Kosova into a corner. They will not stay there for long.

Some of the readers here try to make things to fancy. Things are very simple. One side is for independence, the other is not for independence. I don't see how autonomy ( not independence) is a compromise between the two sides, and I don't see how independence is a compromise. So there are two other options left which could be called a compromise. One is division of Kosovo/a, and the other is a Confederation made of two independent states, Kosovo/a and Serbia. Regarding division- it has a 0% chance of happening because:
1. The international community does not want it.
2. Even if Serbs and Albanians discussed for a million years they would never agree on how to divide the territories. The fact that Kosovo/a is still an issue today, since 1912 at least, says a lot about the ability of Albanians and Serbs to communicate, reach compromises and trust each other.
Regarding the Confederation of two independent states, that would be a solution that the international community might respect as a compromise,since Kosovo/a and Serbia would still be somehow linked but each of them would be independent states at the same time.However neither of the sides is willing to offer or even accept this solution as a compromise.
So what's left with these two opposing views from the Serbs and Albanians? Well, wisely the international community has taken it upon itself to reach a compromise between themselves, and forget about the two involved parties since they will never reach a compromise between them.
If we are not to deceive ourselves here, be it Albanian or Serb, we know full well that when it comes to Kosovo/a sovereignty question we will never agree with each other be it now or a million years from now. Our two nations have no respect whatsoever towards each other, neither do we have trust. We have been living in this peninsula close to each other for thousands of years. During all those years we have never sincerely trusted and respected each other; most of the time we have despised each other as nations and looked down on each other. So it is very romantic to talk about reconciliation between our nations, but the reality is that it will never happen. It didn't happen for the last thousands of years, it will not happen in the next thousands of years, lets not even speak about the near future.
So whether you agree or not, the issue of Kosovo/a will be imposed from the international community, simply because we ourselves lack the ability to do it. Even in this forum, its easy to see how we cannot communicate respectfully and agree on anything. Anyways to end it, like it or not the solution will be imposed.

To: Dane

Buy a map and you will see that Kosovo is a Provence in Serbia. Even world maps sold in Kosovo will indicate the same thing! You are a Serbian citizen, if you claim you are not, then you are a nomad and last I checked nomads are people without identity or country. Is that what you are?

Kosovo is just a slavic toponimy that invaders gave to our Dardania during the occupation and now consider it as legal. By the way, your occupation is over, Dardania is free (and soon will be Independent). It would be good if you open some history books, but please, not those in which the year zero is considered when serbs arrived in Europe.

PS. Oh, and by the way, "Metohija" is a greek word. And "Serbia" a latin one. Should Greece and Italy consider serb territory as the cradles of their civilizations?

it is not Luis Adamo, it's Amado...

"There were reprisals against many Serbs and although i am not trying to justify the crimes committed after the War i must ask you to at least try to imagine how a person would feel if he would return to his city or village and find his home burned to the ground or member of his family killed. (Nick, Wednesday, 20 June, 2007, 00:34)"
You know Nick, I do try to imagine it, as hard as that is for someone who comes from my affluent background. My brother in law's house was burned and his village destroyed in Operation Storm. That is why I try my best to find common goals for both our people, so those types of things never happen again. I abhor the use of violence in any circumstance. This is also why I've decided to oppose the Serbian proposal, as I do not believe it offers your people enough protections and rights, as well as apologies. I honestly believe that some apologies and some real actions to repair some of the damage done could go very far in helping a least to compromise a little. I agree with you about the mistakes the Serbian government has made and hopefully someday they'll learn from them. The way they handled the war in the 90's was as stupid as stupid gets. I honestly thought they matured from that.
To be perfectly honest, I'm furious that the Serbian government isn't taking this seriously and offering your people some true concessions and a real chance for a better future for your people. Although I oppose full independence for Kosovo, I do support granting your people decent living conditions and the right to determine your own future. I do strongly feel partition has the best chance of this, but if they are going to offer you autonomy, make it real autonomy and not this joke. As much as I disagree with Ahtisaari's proposal, it does offer Serbs more protections then what the Serbian proposal offers the Albanians. However, that being said, the Serbian proposal does have some very good ideas on reconciliation that I think should be worked into any final status for Kosovo.
I know your people got us real good in WWII, and after the NATO bombing, but in my mind that doesn't excuse us Serbs from making the apologies we need to make. I only bring it up at times because I personally feel that we Serbs have had all the blame for the violence put upon us as a whole, and I don't think that's right. I believe there were people on both sides that welcomed the violence and promoted it for their own vile interests. But whatever, I can not control your side, all I can do is make apologies for the crimes committed in the name of my people and hope that in time, moderates from your side will do the same when they feel ready.
I do feel badly about the wait for your people, and I sympathize with the frustration. I still blame the West. Had they put all options on the table and not promised full independence from the start, I think we could have come to a compromise on partition by now. I'm sure you'll have your independence, however, I think it will involve partition. Let's just hope its through the UNSC and not through the barrel of a gun.
Anyways, personally for me if you were to allow all Serbs the world over the fundamental right to live and work in peace in Kosovo, modify Ahtisaari's proposal so you can not repeal our protections, and grant Vatican level status to our church there, there's a good chance I would not strongly oppose independence on those terms. I don't think I could support that, but I think maybe I could live with that. In a way that may be better then partition.
I do like Albanians, and I think the culture is super cool. I love Clans, and being a member of a mixed clan as I am, I can not but respect your people. However, I also feel very strongly that our heritage and culture are important to us. Being Montenegrin Nobility, my family fought for hundreds of years to preserve our identity and the memory of Kosovo. I can not disgrace the memory of my forefather's by turning my back on our history. However, I want the land AND the people. Albanians are very cool in their own right. At least it seems to me, relations between Albanians and Montenegrins are getting a little better.
Anyways, to everyone here, I would very much like to see more constructive dialog instead of the same nonsense everyday. I know its not going to happen, but I would really like to see a more intelligent discussion. I miss Blag!!!!! Where the heck is he, at least then we had some real discussions.

“Regarding division- it has a 0% chance of happening because:
1. The international community does not want it. (Johny, Wednesday, 20 June, 2007, 03:58)”

Even James Lyon of the ICG, an organization traditionally opposed to partition said lately “In theory, if the Albanians and Serbs would agree among themselves to peacefully partition Kosovo, no one in the international community would object.”

http://blog.b92.net/arhiva/node/5156#comment

“2. Even if Serbs and Albanians discussed for a million years they would never agree on how to divide the territories.”

The base plan would be by ethnic composition, ie North of the Ibar. Then we could haggle over Trepca (and land corridor) and Presevo for some important religious sites (and land corridor) with very generous budgets for those who feel the desire to relocate, like mansions on the coast or something. I’m willing to bet the starting position for most Albanians here is by ethnic lines + Presevo just for the option to partition. We most certainly could come to an agreement.

Regardless, partition is not only plausible, but highly likely. Either it will happen through the UNSC or in the worst case scenario, through the US and Russia at the barrel of a gun.

There are of course other options available if the EU were serious, like let all of Serbia fully (no second class stuff) into the EU right now, Kosovo and everyone. Borders would instantly become moot. That’s the end goal anyways, why not press for it now?

However, I highly suggest a regional solution as so many unresolved conflicts remain in the area. It’s still a ticking time bomb.

I fully agree with Matthew. I think partition along ethnic lines should be acceptable for albanians in Kosovo given they populate 90% of the territory there. On the other hand, I fully understand that for serbs there are important issues such as orthodox heritage located in depth of the territory. If I was a Kosovo leader I would accept as fair a deal which would give to the most important worship places of serbs in Kosovo a Vatican minus status, (in order not to transform them in enclaves which one day would be used by nationalists as cradles to incite conflict). I think serbs (like all the people of the world) have all the right to visit and protect important worship places everywhere in the world including those in Kosovo which are special for them. I am sure that if the Albania's government would have to deal with this issue, it wouldnt be a problem for it (we have a great tradition of cultural and religious cohabitation here). But I don't know how Kosovo's leadership would see a proposal of this kind. On my opinion, Serbia's government should give a signal of opening a new chapter of relations between the two nations. Belgrade should use this 120 days given by International community, to recognize the first among the countries the independence of Kosovo, and later to be engaged together with the authorities there (which by the way would be more confident and relaxed after such a decision), in a internationally supervised process of "border demarcation". After this process, Zubin Potok and Zvecan would be given to Serbia and Presheva & Bujanovc to Kosovo. But at the end of the day, albanians would save their face in front of public saying that: Kosovo wasnt divided, we just exchanged two communes of serbs with two communes of albanians. Another deal on sharing Trepca mines would be also unavoidable. But I think that in a spirit of cooperation created this way, this process wouldnt be such a tragedy like albanians and serbs in Kosovo try to depictid nowadays.
Regards,
Klaudian, Tirana

PS. And Matthew, true that your observation about relations among albanians and montenegrins. Budva rocks. I'll be there next month for the Rolling Stones concert. Peace.

Princip UK:
When you talk about reconciliation and trust amon all the Serbian people, you just offend albanians. After what Serbia have done since 1913 in order to assimilate albanians and transform them - at the end of the day - in "serbs", listening you, today, here, after all what happened, offering as a perspective a Serbia where albanians are transformed in serbs, it just convince us that nothing has changed. Albanians dont want to be serbs. They dont want to be considered serbs. And they dont want to share the same roof with serbs. There is nothing to envy for them on being serbs. Serbia is not USA when you can be chinese, but whith a US passport you can feel an american.

To: Klaudian

If you do not want to be a Serbian citizen then go to Albania and be a Albanian citizen. You live in Serbia thus you must conform to it or simply move somewhere else where you will be happy. I am Canadien and if I didn't like being Canadien I would not be living here. What is the problem with people like you? I will never understand why you feel Serbia or for that matter the world owes you something.

Klaudian,

I greatly appreciate your input and suggestions, thank you for taking the time to respond to me. If more of us tried to find acceptable solutions and actually engage in speaking with one another, we might just be able to find a way out of this mess that provides a better future for all our children.

Budva is fun, and very "fancy" with plenty of beautiful women, however I prefer Kotor Bay. If you make it to Kotor for some reason, in the main sqaure in front is the Bjeladinovic Palace, my family built that with gold from the California gold rush.

I hope someday to be able to visit Albania and in particular Kosovo. I'd actually like to purchase some land, probably near Pec. Seems to me that all the Albanians I've talked to here on B92 from the Pec region are fairly moderate and I think it would be nice to spend some real time there.

Is the same as if at the block where you live in Canada, you and the community of serbs living there would decide to declare "serb" everyone from the autoctone population you found there.
If you emigrate to somewhere and you decide to fit to that new identity, you can do it. But if a country occupy you, and force you to leave your identity and to take theirs, I find it as illegal. I think, this is the problem albanians in Kosovo have. Serbs came to their land in 1913 and settled there a state which albanians didnt recognize. Serbs tried all the means to assimilate them (including expulsion, violence and torture). Thanks God I am from Albania and I am an albanian citizen. But the language you are using "if you want to be albanian go to Albania" reminds me of Milosevic's rhetorics. Albanians are not immigrants in Kosovo. The contrary is the truth. Serbs came in Europe in the 7-th century.

Canadien,

Kloadian said:

"I am sure that if the Albania's government would have to deal with this issue, it wouldnt be a problem for it (we have a great tradition of cultural and religious cohabitation here)."

Which means he cant go back to Albania because he is an Albanian living in Albania.

Next time, please do us the favor of reading comments before posting nonsense.

Canadien said.

If you do not want to be a Serbian citizen then go to Albania and be a Albanian citizen.



Its because of attitudes like these that the war happened, and certainly if that rhetoric is still used, then other wars will happen. You can't force people to be what they don't want to be.
Like you say further, you are Canadien cuz you like being Canadien, however nobody can force you to be one if you don't like it. What you are suggesting is another ethnic cleansing, either declare yourself Serbian or be removed. Where you in a comma when the war happened? Nobody owns Albanians anything, and certainly they will never bow or surrender to any pressure into accepting to believe something which they are not; Serbs. Certainly leaving is out of the question. By the same token Serbs should have left Europe for not collaborating and doing what the EU wants them to do. That is a very naive and dangerous way of thinking.

Ahilleas Aspetus. The proto-hellenic quasi-pelasgyc language of Homer suggests that this name has a meaning in one of the languages descending from that ancient idiomma. So, look for a translation either to the nowadays greek or to the albanian. Ahileas Aspetus the name for the fast guy of Illiade.Your ancestors would be ashamed to learn that you sell your ancient PELASGIAN - HELLENIC identity for that orthodox byzantine one, which makes you ally with the slavic new entries of Balcans. At the end of the day, you'll see that religions for an ancient nation might change, but blood remains still the same.