U.S. to Serbia: Choose Europe over Kosovo

the cumbersome and unwieldy EU as payment for one's territory? The US is really losing its touch!

Is it little wonder that the US is seen in such a negative light throughout the world? Mr. Fried thinks that it is an accepted fact that Pres. Bush and the US have the final word on the status of Kosovo? Sheer arrogance. Wake up Europe and don't be fooled. The majority of the President's fellow Americans think he is doing a poor job, why would anyone else in the world find his foreign policy credible?

"The answer from us is: you are welcome, we want you," he said.

What is the US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs doing welcoming countries into the EU? This is only his business as a representative of the US, not as a spokesman for the EU.

Such arrogance!

Why are Serbian leaders failing the people who pay for them?

Yesterday, a poll showed that more than 50% of Serbs ranked Kosovo 5th in what they believed were important national issues.

But this poll also showed that more than 60% of Serbs believed they have NO influence over their leaders or policies.

This is a shame, considering the way ordinary Serbs put themselves on the line to rid their country of a greedy narcissistic tyrant.

All I see is that if Serbian leaders do follow in line with the majority, Serbia will further decline in this economic recovery and boon.

But, if this 'boon' is geared only for favoring special interests and people, then I see the same conflict arise among Serbs. It's shame if this happens, considering the trials many Serbs went through to get this far.

It looks like Mr. Fried is still in denial and he thinks it's still 1999. How will Kosovo be independent with a Russian (and possibly Chinese) veto? It is impossible and it's not happening. The Russians have called your bluff many times now and they will call it again. If the americans unilaterally recognize a greater albania, it will be daja vu, another Cyprus. Serbia will advance and become a prosperous European country, including the partitioned north Mitrovica pocket, and the rest of Kosovo will remain the poorest and most miserable place in Europe, unrecognized and in limbo. In addition, Republika Srpska will declare independence and will be recognized by Russia, as well as the Russian regions in the former Soviet Union. A domino effect will follow all over the world with little pockets of minorities declaring independence.
If this is the scenario you want, go ahead Mr. Fried, I dare you to try it. For Serbs it's a win/win situation either way.

"The irony is that ... the only way for all Serbs to live in one political entity was [the former} Yugoslavia, and then Serbian nationalists destroyed it during the 1990s wars,"

Total nonsense. Slovenia and Croatia declare independence before any fighting took place. Serbs were in favour of retaining Yugoslavia, but the it was destroyed by the likes of the US and Germany supporting the republics violent succession.

Fried has no right to tell the Serbian people and government what they should do.

Perhaps Mr. Fried should promise Serbia free Costco and Blockbuster membership if Serbia relinquish 15% of her territory? Or perhaps try to bribe Serbia with glass beads?

Daniel Fried is a bluffer, and poor one at that. He has a weak hand and everybody at the table knows that.

The only thing lost about Kosovo is American credibility.
By deliberate military and diplomatic support to Kosovo Albanians, United States has lost any credibility of waging war on terror. Having in mind the role of Kosovo in narcotics trade, it makes joke of American war on drugs as well.

Two words for Mr. Fried: UNSEC 1244.

Serbia will join the EU anyway...and the US can´t do anything about that.
the bottomline is:
Mr.Fried trying to calm down the albanian frustration.

nevertheless, there will be no independence, except it is called broad autonomy.

you´ll see that´s what Albanians will have to decide, if they wanna join the EU...

think it over, and this time don´t lie to yourself.

Here is an excerpt from Daniel Fried’s speech in Obrenovic’s palace on March 05, 2007:

“There is a debate about where Europe ends. Some say it goes up to a geographic line and no further. Others say that European values and institutions can and should extend beyond the Black Sea and the Bosporus.

But I tell you where there is no debate-Europe is not complete without Serbia. Your absence is deeply felt, and must end.

The scars of Europe's division will never be really healed without you. Both Europe and the U.S. would be greatly enriched by having Serbia with us as a full partner in all the endeavors I outlined for you today.

I know from my time in Belgrade in the mid-1980s what Serbia can offer the transatlantic community.
Belgrade then was a world capital where people the world over came to discuss critical matter of state. The views of your leaders were sought not as courtesy, but because they were worldly men and women who looked outward to the world, beyond the parochial.“ http://state.gov/p/eur/rls/rm/81362.htm


Another scar would be created if Kosovo was removed from Serbia.

Serbia is in Europe so no choice needs to be made.my American representative should leave EU business to the EU.Last I checked the US is not a member of the EU.

Apparently the "I am Richard Holbrooke. I am God" identity complex is still alive and well with US officials in the Balkans. How is it that Fried can speak of what the EU wants? When did we become EU members? Anyways, rhetoric and all aside, he should realize that for the last 10 years such "ultimatums" like "Serbia must choose between Kosovo and Europe" always has the reverse intended effect. Welcoming Serbia into the EU is one thing, and is an inevitable outcome. Saying what will happen tarritorial-wise before any resolution is agreed upon just sounds predatory and interfering with one's state sovereignty. I'll wager my faith that as soon as a Chavez-Castro-Chiapas coalition begins making efforts to take Florida away from the US, we'd be all gung-ho as well.

Mr.Fried,
Please stop insulting our intelligence,we did not loose anything becouse of Milosevic.
You are affraid to say that your plans of bigger global control are in jeopardy.
And maybe, if you do get to create ethnicaly whole muslim state in Europe with Kosovo, and have muslim world applaud you for it.Than maybe will understand you.For now try telling the truth,we are sick and tired of your politics.

dear Roger7 and all other skeptics of peace.
maybe the US dosnt have a great say(except that they are the main funders of the mission in kosovo, but definetly russia and serbia has nothing. So i belive i am in europe and not in the russian highlands.

Daniel Fried said > "The answer from us is: you are welcome, we want you,".
Mr. Fried is not Europe, he is the USA and should not be making such quotes, he does not represent Europe nor is his country in Europe. It is time that the United States stop minding Europe's business. American meddling in Europes affairs is getting incredible! The EU should stand together and tell the USA that they are quite capable of dealing with their own political affairs. The EU is not meddling in America's domestic political affairs in the USA. The Americans are the single greatest threat to European stability today and sooner or later more and more EU members will recognize this.

"The question for Serbia is not whether it tries to keep a hold on Kosovo because Slobodan Milošević lost it"

What a completely wrong opinion. The US presented Serbia with an ultimatum in 1999 which was full military occupation of the entire country and a referendum on Kosovo independence in 3 years. When this was rejected the bombing took place and the Serbs were accused of alleged expulsions and atrocities after this.

NATO bombed Serbia to destroy as much as possible its military, political, and economic system while attempting to create a larger powerbase for a subserviant Albanian ally. It was but a step in a colonization process culminating in full Euro-Atlantic integration.

The most humiliating thing Serbian citizens could ever do is to vote to join NATO. I have heard that a clear majority are against it- and I hope that never changes.

".Last I checked the US is not a member of the EU. "

Get real...who do you think wrote the original plan and put it into effect as the ECC then, the EU ? Yep, us..the Rep. of the US of A.

And, yes, if the US sees the EU conflicting with its purpose, EU could lay waste in the past.

Why does there need to be a choice between the EU and Kosovo?

If the EU is going to make Serbia and an independent Kosovo both member states, then why bother making Kosovo independent first? What purpose would that serve?

I don't know who Daniel Fried thinks he's fooling. I think he was addressing his remarks to the Serbs, but he's not likely to be seen as credible when he goes around saying stupid things like "Serbian nationalism destroyed Yugoslavia".

As I recall the wars in Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, and Kosovo are what destroyed Yugoslavia. And those wars were the direct result of unlawful acts of secession by the Croats, Muslims, Slovenes, and Albanians.

Then, to pour fuel on the fire, the United States and Germany recognized the secessionists.

If Serbian nationalism had a role, it was to oppose the break-up of Yugoslavia.

Fried is crying crocodile tears about the destruction of Yugoslavia, even though his country actively supported the secessionist movements that destroyed it.

He may be appealing to the Serbs to give-up Kosovo for the promise of the EU, but I doubt anybody will take him seriously.

The United States drafted and voted for resolution 1244, and now it's pretending like it dosen't even exist. The Americans don't have any credibility.

This little imperialistic mouthpiece reall ruffles my feathers. Why is he trying to offer the EU to Serbians? Does the EU belong to the US? As a European I would be offended by his arrogance and that he is trying to represent me. And what if Serbia does not accept the West? Will the NATO bomb them into acceptance again? Go play in your own backyard Fried, there are larger problems there. Europe can do quite well without you. I'm sure better.

I am Serb and I urge all Serbs to accept reality, what our politicians doing is mainly for their chair/position, trying to fool us. We must accept that this we go on and on and in the end they will declare independence.

I think for us its more important to concentrate in our economy and other issues and let Kosovo go, anyway its been trouble for us all this time

Serbia has what is the most important guarantor of ownership rights-the DEED to Kosovo no matter who lives and improves the land the landlord still is the LEGAL owner.Only thieves expect to steal somebody elses asset without providing fair market value compensation.If the EU wants Kosovo then let them write a check for the fair market value of the land and natural resources.It is that SIMPLE!The rational Europeans are starting to realize that there will be no LEGAL UNSC Resolution stripping Serbia of this ownership right so they need to think outside the box on how to inform the 6 million Albanians that 150m Russians and 12m Serbs are more important to Europe's prosperity and long term stability.Any objective observer can do a cost-benefit analysis and come to this simple realization.Does anybody understand why Bush and Putin did not even bother discussing Kosovo?It is not worth their precious time which was better spent walking the dog-LOL

At last some truths!
The real stake of Serbia is actually a profound confusion about their nation identity.
A bit of history. I remember the prime minister of Greece fighting in the Greek parliament for the decision to join the EU (back then Greece was poorer than Albania). In a historic statement the PM Kostantinos Karamanlis -1- just said “Greece belongs to the West”. The Greeks even today consider this as one the most crucial point of their history.
Now back in Serbia. The head of the Serbian politics must understand that Serbia belongs to the western values and not Russia. The Russian diplomacy is using Serbia in order to show some muscles and trying gain some political ground regarding their “neighborhood”.
Serbia is not Georgia or Ukraine. They (the Russians) know very well that based on the geostrategic position of Serbia (being surrounded by EU-member states) do not have any future influence on Serbia.
So the Kosovo issue dragging by Serbia will make difficult the life of Kosovars regarding the foreign investors but as well damage Serbia itself and their path towards the integration in NATO and the EU. And if Serbia insist on the policy of denial that Kosovo is lost for good, I would not be surprised one day to see Kosovo join the EU and NATO before Serbia.

Why not just say "choose the EU instead of sovereignty, or choose Europe instead of Serbia". Then we will all just be "Europeans" instead of Serbs, Albanians, Germans, Russians ect and we can prance around singing songs, holding hands in one big love fest!

What on earth does this have to do with the Americans? It looks like they are just upping the ante in the 'war of words' as there is nothing they can do on the ground. Words by Fried are a sign of frustration by the Bush administration that they intimidation and blackmail is just not working.

What is incontrovertable is that Serbia cannot join the EU if there are any outstanding territorial problems. Then again, has anyone mentioned 'Cyprus'. The EU is a land where laws are notoriously bendable, though mostly for the strongest and oldest members.

The EC needs to ask, can it do without Serbia.

Serbia doesn't need to join the EU. Switzerland hasn't. Serbia can keep its sovereignty and still have most of the benefits of EU membership.

It is not an 'either/or' argument. The Europeans are desperate for the Serbs to cave in (much like wanting the Russians to back down over the US missile defense debacle).

The Europeans are more interested in papering over the very real disagreements between them and present a 'unified' front. Nobody believes the EU is unified, so why all the effort?

Kostunica shouldn't say that Serbia won't join the EU. Leave it up to the EU to make the threats, so it will ultimately be an EU postion.

Don't ask somebody to do something that you are not prepared to do yourself.

This guy knows nothing. It was not Serbia that destroyed Yugoslavia. It was Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia.

Neither did Milosevic lose Kosovo - the 1244 agreement recognises the territorial integrity of Serbia.

If they want to go against the territorial integrity, maybe they should bomb some more - they signed to stop the bombing on the basis of recognising the territorial integrity after all!

Either that or they were lying.

Joining the EU is nothing to do with the status of Kosovo.

Kosovo is not the issue. Tne main issue is Serbia as a state. If regions of Serbia can be taken away by the UN and Serbia can be dismembered than it is not a country. Serbia should be respected by the EU and the United States not treated as something that can be dismembered and the people ignored otherwise what is the point of there being a Serbia. You might as well just abolish Serbia if it is not going to be respected as a country and its borders respected.

The US has clearly been a country not to trust. Look at how Scooter Libby was pardoned, bush still has troops in the middle east & he's nothing but a joke.

The nerve of the US representative(s) as well as the US government. These are just words and words that will not be forgotten.

Jovan, you are correct. He's just trying to calm down the albanians as right now, the US has no place speaking about how other countries of the world should conduct their business when they can't even conduct their own.

The day the US gives up Texas is the day Serbia will give up KosovO. The EU should propose this separation to bush & Fried & see what the reaction is then!

Mike,
People like you, living in the US and apparently US citizens could represent a security risk for our great country. If you are so unhappy and making a habit of badmouthing the US why are you not moving to Venezuela?

I very much agree with Kate - Mr.Fried doesn't represent EU so he is not in position to "offer" EU membership to Serbia .
Here is an excerpt from article -Serbia owed justice in Kosovo- by Gregory Clark (The Japan Times -2nd July) which explains US role in radicalizing the conflict in Kosovo - and this is something that Mr.Fried should know very well:
To assist the Muslim side during the 1992-1995 Bosnian fighting, British and U.S. intelligence organs resorted to the extraordinary recruitment and training of Islamic extremists from Afghanistan's anti-Soviet wars of the 1980s. Help and training was also given to Albanian Muslim extremists setting up their Kosovo Liberation Army to launch guerrilla attacks against isolated Serbian communities. (These long-suspected facts were confirmed by Britain's former environment minister Michael Meacher writing in The Guardian newspaper recently).
Here is the link to this article: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20070702gc.html

Mr. Fried, I sincerely hope that the only way in which Serbia can enter the EU is with Kosovo and Metohija. However, it is understandable that you will not wish this.
Your agenda is to illegally dismember Serbia and you refuse to see any other solution because you have promised the ethnic Albanians, a minority group in Serbia's southern province, their own pure ethnic State, directly next to Albania, creating the beginning of and ongoing process of Greater Albania and more instability globally.
Logically, Mr. Fried must know this does not make sense and one wonders what else is in store!
International law must continue to override power and a majority otherwise chaos rules and mob rules; and "every case" is unique, not just "one".

The Serbs have allways chose a kingdom in heaven rather then a Kingdom on earth. The Americans have made their choice and its obvious to all what their choice is. Good Luck

to Thomas:

your analysis lacks of realistic thoughts. Saying Kosovo would join the EU earlier than Serbia, is not only total nonsense in the economic respect but also in the political, since Kosovo is and will stay an integral part of the Republic of Serbia.

According to historical records Kosovo was given to Serbia in 1919 by the Brits... Why can the wrong be made right now? What is the argument for not giving Kosovo independence again???

Unilateral recognition by the United States automatically constitutes statehood, as an international rule of thumb (with the precedent being set by the United States' formal recognition of the state of Israel). The Security Council is a flawed, tyrannical institution which unwisely afforded the Soviet Union, a formerly influential superpower, veto power. Irrespective of the Security Council's decision, which will most likely be a veto by Russia, United States recognition of Kosovar statehood is imminent, and the most likely outcome will be a subsequent recognition by all major, important powers, namely Britian, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, as well as Balkan neighbors such as Albania, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, and perhaps even Bulgaria and Greece, with time. Nations that will refuse recognition are Serbia and Russia, and the list will likely end there. Despite political opposition, Kosova's economic potential, with its endless natural resources (hence Serbia's interest in Northern Kosova, where resources are concentrated), combined with their young, well educated, pro-capitalist population willing to work for less-than-European wages, will undoubtedly compel halfway opponents such as Greece and Bulgaria to recognize Kosova's independence in the name of progression, peace and financial prosperity for the region.

Serbia's threats to neighbors against recognizing Kosova's independence is characteristic of their tactics, violence is the government's trade, even after Milosevic. The tragedy of the situation is that the Serbian people, who hardly care about this issue, are the ones to suffer as their leaders pander to extremists.

Amarilis
Because if you are going to start using history as a basis. The why stop at 1919 when we defeated the "axis of evil". Why not go back to 1389? When Kosovo was taken away from Serbs in the first place.

Serbia is Kosovo
CCCC

Additionally, it is economically impossible for Serbia to maintain Kosova within its borders. The territory would be IMPOSSIBLE to police. The United Nations estimates that there are over 400,000 weapons in Kosova, and inviting Serbian police back into the province is military suicide. Albanians are unlikely to be willing to police the province in the name of the Serbian Government, so conflict is imminent. It would cost too much to police the province, if it were even possible, and Serbia's best interests lie in accepting the inevitable, independence, and planning a business model around Kosova's likely prosperity. The Balkan nations should follow the rest of Europe's model, working together for progression rather than fighting over the crumbs of yesterday's meager prosperities.

All this talk about Milosovic losing Kosovo. If that is the case then why did NATO agree to Milosovic's demand that Kosovo remain Serbian? Furthermore if anyone just visit JANES' a Military authority, research and conflicts archive web site which is also American. On their site search out the NATO-YUGO conflict and you will see that less then 8% of Serbia's military was destroyed and that an experience to NATO of over 100 Billion dollars total. I ask you than who lost the war?

Joe

You suggested to mike to move to Venezuela, since you seem to think he is not Happy in the US? I have been suggesting to you and Nick for weeks to move out of Kosovo since you too are not very happy being a Serbian citizen living in a Serbian province, maybe you should go to Venezuela. They won't give you a VISA because you threw out your Serbian passport and now are using a temporary UN passport which most countries around the world won't issue Visa's to!

canadien,
In the past I used to yugoslavian passaport but lately no one respectd it we got bad reputation from milosevic and his supporters,wherever I travelled seemed people looking at me like I have done something wrong,and now with UN passaport I get the respect as a normal human,visitor,traveller etc.

To: Cvele

man you think that you know everything, which history you are talking about maybe from the Serbian movies , yes yes its for sure Boj na Kosovu.
Please can you tell me have you heard about Ilirians if yes than you you will know that its you who has taken Kosovo from Albanians a and not albanians.
and to some serb dreamers , wake up its time, you are dreaming that you will gain kosovo.
You lost it when you startet the ethinc cleansing and Nato did its job to protect the innocent people.
You people are such a good analists, why dont you take over the instead you leave your foolish politicians to deal with kosovo issue, since you are smarter.
Kosovi is Long gone from Serbia, and one more thing , 'When you once taste the democrasy there is no way going back to the Socialist regime, as it is in Serbia.
Peace to all

Gezim
Okay then where are your foreign investors if ur independent and what happened to all of that, which was said; Everyone will recognize Kosovo except Russia. We have proven who is a better analist.
KOSOVO IS SERBIA
ALWAYS HAS BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE
CCCC

It is ridiculous that the US is once again sticking our nose where it does not belong...Our president has a higher approval rating among Albanians than he does here. That will surely change once they realize the US has made another promise that will be broken. It is a crime that our foolish leaders did not research the history of Kosovo, which has been a part of Serbia long before this country was even a thought...

the cumbersome and unwieldy EU as payment for one's territory? The US is really losing its touch!

Is it little wonder that the US is seen in such a negative light throughout the world? Mr. Fried thinks that it is an accepted fact that Pres. Bush and the US have the final word on the status of Kosovo? Sheer arrogance. Wake up Europe and don't be fooled. The majority of the President's fellow Americans think he is doing a poor job, why would anyone else in the world find his foreign policy credible?

"The answer from us is: you are welcome, we want you," he said.

What is the US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs doing welcoming countries into the EU? This is only his business as a representative of the US, not as a spokesman for the EU.

Such arrogance!

Why are Serbian leaders failing the people who pay for them?

Yesterday, a poll showed that more than 50% of Serbs ranked Kosovo 5th in what they believed were important national issues.

But this poll also showed that more than 60% of Serbs believed they have NO influence over their leaders or policies.

This is a shame, considering the way ordinary Serbs put themselves on the line to rid their country of a greedy narcissistic tyrant.

All I see is that if Serbian leaders do follow in line with the majority, Serbia will further decline in this economic recovery and boon.

But, if this 'boon' is geared only for favoring special interests and people, then I see the same conflict arise among Serbs. It's shame if this happens, considering the trials many Serbs went through to get this far.

It looks like Mr. Fried is still in denial and he thinks it's still 1999. How will Kosovo be independent with a Russian (and possibly Chinese) veto? It is impossible and it's not happening. The Russians have called your bluff many times now and they will call it again. If the americans unilaterally recognize a greater albania, it will be daja vu, another Cyprus. Serbia will advance and become a prosperous European country, including the partitioned north Mitrovica pocket, and the rest of Kosovo will remain the poorest and most miserable place in Europe, unrecognized and in limbo. In addition, Republika Srpska will declare independence and will be recognized by Russia, as well as the Russian regions in the former Soviet Union. A domino effect will follow all over the world with little pockets of minorities declaring independence.
If this is the scenario you want, go ahead Mr. Fried, I dare you to try it. For Serbs it's a win/win situation either way.

"The irony is that ... the only way for all Serbs to live in one political entity was [the former} Yugoslavia, and then Serbian nationalists destroyed it during the 1990s wars,"

Total nonsense. Slovenia and Croatia declare independence before any fighting took place. Serbs were in favour of retaining Yugoslavia, but the it was destroyed by the likes of the US and Germany supporting the republics violent succession.

Fried has no right to tell the Serbian people and government what they should do.

Perhaps Mr. Fried should promise Serbia free Costco and Blockbuster membership if Serbia relinquish 15% of her territory? Or perhaps try to bribe Serbia with glass beads?

Daniel Fried is a bluffer, and poor one at that. He has a weak hand and everybody at the table knows that.

The only thing lost about Kosovo is American credibility.
By deliberate military and diplomatic support to Kosovo Albanians, United States has lost any credibility of waging war on terror. Having in mind the role of Kosovo in narcotics trade, it makes joke of American war on drugs as well.

Two words for Mr. Fried: UNSEC 1244.

Serbia will join the EU anyway...and the US can´t do anything about that.
the bottomline is:
Mr.Fried trying to calm down the albanian frustration.

nevertheless, there will be no independence, except it is called broad autonomy.

you´ll see that´s what Albanians will have to decide, if they wanna join the EU...

think it over, and this time don´t lie to yourself.

Here is an excerpt from Daniel Fried’s speech in Obrenovic’s palace on March 05, 2007:

“There is a debate about where Europe ends. Some say it goes up to a geographic line and no further. Others say that European values and institutions can and should extend beyond the Black Sea and the Bosporus.

But I tell you where there is no debate-Europe is not complete without Serbia. Your absence is deeply felt, and must end.

The scars of Europe's division will never be really healed without you. Both Europe and the U.S. would be greatly enriched by having Serbia with us as a full partner in all the endeavors I outlined for you today.

I know from my time in Belgrade in the mid-1980s what Serbia can offer the transatlantic community.
Belgrade then was a world capital where people the world over came to discuss critical matter of state. The views of your leaders were sought not as courtesy, but because they were worldly men and women who looked outward to the world, beyond the parochial.“ http://state.gov/p/eur/rls/rm/81362.htm


Another scar would be created if Kosovo was removed from Serbia.

Serbia is in Europe so no choice needs to be made.my American representative should leave EU business to the EU.Last I checked the US is not a member of the EU.

Apparently the "I am Richard Holbrooke. I am God" identity complex is still alive and well with US officials in the Balkans. How is it that Fried can speak of what the EU wants? When did we become EU members? Anyways, rhetoric and all aside, he should realize that for the last 10 years such "ultimatums" like "Serbia must choose between Kosovo and Europe" always has the reverse intended effect. Welcoming Serbia into the EU is one thing, and is an inevitable outcome. Saying what will happen tarritorial-wise before any resolution is agreed upon just sounds predatory and interfering with one's state sovereignty. I'll wager my faith that as soon as a Chavez-Castro-Chiapas coalition begins making efforts to take Florida away from the US, we'd be all gung-ho as well.

Mr.Fried,
Please stop insulting our intelligence,we did not loose anything becouse of Milosevic.
You are affraid to say that your plans of bigger global control are in jeopardy.
And maybe, if you do get to create ethnicaly whole muslim state in Europe with Kosovo, and have muslim world applaud you for it.Than maybe will understand you.For now try telling the truth,we are sick and tired of your politics.

dear Roger7 and all other skeptics of peace.
maybe the US dosnt have a great say(except that they are the main funders of the mission in kosovo, but definetly russia and serbia has nothing. So i belive i am in europe and not in the russian highlands.

Daniel Fried said > "The answer from us is: you are welcome, we want you,".
Mr. Fried is not Europe, he is the USA and should not be making such quotes, he does not represent Europe nor is his country in Europe. It is time that the United States stop minding Europe's business. American meddling in Europes affairs is getting incredible! The EU should stand together and tell the USA that they are quite capable of dealing with their own political affairs. The EU is not meddling in America's domestic political affairs in the USA. The Americans are the single greatest threat to European stability today and sooner or later more and more EU members will recognize this.

"The question for Serbia is not whether it tries to keep a hold on Kosovo because Slobodan Milošević lost it"

What a completely wrong opinion. The US presented Serbia with an ultimatum in 1999 which was full military occupation of the entire country and a referendum on Kosovo independence in 3 years. When this was rejected the bombing took place and the Serbs were accused of alleged expulsions and atrocities after this.

NATO bombed Serbia to destroy as much as possible its military, political, and economic system while attempting to create a larger powerbase for a subserviant Albanian ally. It was but a step in a colonization process culminating in full Euro-Atlantic integration.

The most humiliating thing Serbian citizens could ever do is to vote to join NATO. I have heard that a clear majority are against it- and I hope that never changes.

".Last I checked the US is not a member of the EU. "

Get real...who do you think wrote the original plan and put it into effect as the ECC then, the EU ? Yep, us..the Rep. of the US of A.

And, yes, if the US sees the EU conflicting with its purpose, EU could lay waste in the past.

Why does there need to be a choice between the EU and Kosovo?

If the EU is going to make Serbia and an independent Kosovo both member states, then why bother making Kosovo independent first? What purpose would that serve?

I don't know who Daniel Fried thinks he's fooling. I think he was addressing his remarks to the Serbs, but he's not likely to be seen as credible when he goes around saying stupid things like "Serbian nationalism destroyed Yugoslavia".

As I recall the wars in Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, and Kosovo are what destroyed Yugoslavia. And those wars were the direct result of unlawful acts of secession by the Croats, Muslims, Slovenes, and Albanians.

Then, to pour fuel on the fire, the United States and Germany recognized the secessionists.

If Serbian nationalism had a role, it was to oppose the break-up of Yugoslavia.

Fried is crying crocodile tears about the destruction of Yugoslavia, even though his country actively supported the secessionist movements that destroyed it.

He may be appealing to the Serbs to give-up Kosovo for the promise of the EU, but I doubt anybody will take him seriously.

The United States drafted and voted for resolution 1244, and now it's pretending like it dosen't even exist. The Americans don't have any credibility.

This little imperialistic mouthpiece reall ruffles my feathers. Why is he trying to offer the EU to Serbians? Does the EU belong to the US? As a European I would be offended by his arrogance and that he is trying to represent me. And what if Serbia does not accept the West? Will the NATO bomb them into acceptance again? Go play in your own backyard Fried, there are larger problems there. Europe can do quite well without you. I'm sure better.

I am Serb and I urge all Serbs to accept reality, what our politicians doing is mainly for their chair/position, trying to fool us. We must accept that this we go on and on and in the end they will declare independence.

I think for us its more important to concentrate in our economy and other issues and let Kosovo go, anyway its been trouble for us all this time

Serbia has what is the most important guarantor of ownership rights-the DEED to Kosovo no matter who lives and improves the land the landlord still is the LEGAL owner.Only thieves expect to steal somebody elses asset without providing fair market value compensation.If the EU wants Kosovo then let them write a check for the fair market value of the land and natural resources.It is that SIMPLE!The rational Europeans are starting to realize that there will be no LEGAL UNSC Resolution stripping Serbia of this ownership right so they need to think outside the box on how to inform the 6 million Albanians that 150m Russians and 12m Serbs are more important to Europe's prosperity and long term stability.Any objective observer can do a cost-benefit analysis and come to this simple realization.Does anybody understand why Bush and Putin did not even bother discussing Kosovo?It is not worth their precious time which was better spent walking the dog-LOL

At last some truths!
The real stake of Serbia is actually a profound confusion about their nation identity.
A bit of history. I remember the prime minister of Greece fighting in the Greek parliament for the decision to join the EU (back then Greece was poorer than Albania). In a historic statement the PM Kostantinos Karamanlis -1- just said “Greece belongs to the West”. The Greeks even today consider this as one the most crucial point of their history.
Now back in Serbia. The head of the Serbian politics must understand that Serbia belongs to the western values and not Russia. The Russian diplomacy is using Serbia in order to show some muscles and trying gain some political ground regarding their “neighborhood”.
Serbia is not Georgia or Ukraine. They (the Russians) know very well that based on the geostrategic position of Serbia (being surrounded by EU-member states) do not have any future influence on Serbia.
So the Kosovo issue dragging by Serbia will make difficult the life of Kosovars regarding the foreign investors but as well damage Serbia itself and their path towards the integration in NATO and the EU. And if Serbia insist on the policy of denial that Kosovo is lost for good, I would not be surprised one day to see Kosovo join the EU and NATO before Serbia.

Why not just say "choose the EU instead of sovereignty, or choose Europe instead of Serbia". Then we will all just be "Europeans" instead of Serbs, Albanians, Germans, Russians ect and we can prance around singing songs, holding hands in one big love fest!

What on earth does this have to do with the Americans? It looks like they are just upping the ante in the 'war of words' as there is nothing they can do on the ground. Words by Fried are a sign of frustration by the Bush administration that they intimidation and blackmail is just not working.

What is incontrovertable is that Serbia cannot join the EU if there are any outstanding territorial problems. Then again, has anyone mentioned 'Cyprus'. The EU is a land where laws are notoriously bendable, though mostly for the strongest and oldest members.

The EC needs to ask, can it do without Serbia.

Serbia doesn't need to join the EU. Switzerland hasn't. Serbia can keep its sovereignty and still have most of the benefits of EU membership.

It is not an 'either/or' argument. The Europeans are desperate for the Serbs to cave in (much like wanting the Russians to back down over the US missile defense debacle).

The Europeans are more interested in papering over the very real disagreements between them and present a 'unified' front. Nobody believes the EU is unified, so why all the effort?

Kostunica shouldn't say that Serbia won't join the EU. Leave it up to the EU to make the threats, so it will ultimately be an EU postion.

Don't ask somebody to do something that you are not prepared to do yourself.

This guy knows nothing. It was not Serbia that destroyed Yugoslavia. It was Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia.

Neither did Milosevic lose Kosovo - the 1244 agreement recognises the territorial integrity of Serbia.

If they want to go against the territorial integrity, maybe they should bomb some more - they signed to stop the bombing on the basis of recognising the territorial integrity after all!

Either that or they were lying.

Joining the EU is nothing to do with the status of Kosovo.

Kosovo is not the issue. Tne main issue is Serbia as a state. If regions of Serbia can be taken away by the UN and Serbia can be dismembered than it is not a country. Serbia should be respected by the EU and the United States not treated as something that can be dismembered and the people ignored otherwise what is the point of there being a Serbia. You might as well just abolish Serbia if it is not going to be respected as a country and its borders respected.

The US has clearly been a country not to trust. Look at how Scooter Libby was pardoned, bush still has troops in the middle east & he's nothing but a joke.

The nerve of the US representative(s) as well as the US government. These are just words and words that will not be forgotten.

Jovan, you are correct. He's just trying to calm down the albanians as right now, the US has no place speaking about how other countries of the world should conduct their business when they can't even conduct their own.

The day the US gives up Texas is the day Serbia will give up KosovO. The EU should propose this separation to bush & Fried & see what the reaction is then!

Mike,
People like you, living in the US and apparently US citizens could represent a security risk for our great country. If you are so unhappy and making a habit of badmouthing the US why are you not moving to Venezuela?

I very much agree with Kate - Mr.Fried doesn't represent EU so he is not in position to "offer" EU membership to Serbia .
Here is an excerpt from article -Serbia owed justice in Kosovo- by Gregory Clark (The Japan Times -2nd July) which explains US role in radicalizing the conflict in Kosovo - and this is something that Mr.Fried should know very well:
To assist the Muslim side during the 1992-1995 Bosnian fighting, British and U.S. intelligence organs resorted to the extraordinary recruitment and training of Islamic extremists from Afghanistan's anti-Soviet wars of the 1980s. Help and training was also given to Albanian Muslim extremists setting up their Kosovo Liberation Army to launch guerrilla attacks against isolated Serbian communities. (These long-suspected facts were confirmed by Britain's former environment minister Michael Meacher writing in The Guardian newspaper recently).
Here is the link to this article: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20070702gc.html

Mr. Fried, I sincerely hope that the only way in which Serbia can enter the EU is with Kosovo and Metohija. However, it is understandable that you will not wish this.
Your agenda is to illegally dismember Serbia and you refuse to see any other solution because you have promised the ethnic Albanians, a minority group in Serbia's southern province, their own pure ethnic State, directly next to Albania, creating the beginning of and ongoing process of Greater Albania and more instability globally.
Logically, Mr. Fried must know this does not make sense and one wonders what else is in store!
International law must continue to override power and a majority otherwise chaos rules and mob rules; and "every case" is unique, not just "one".

The Serbs have allways chose a kingdom in heaven rather then a Kingdom on earth. The Americans have made their choice and its obvious to all what their choice is. Good Luck

to Thomas:

your analysis lacks of realistic thoughts. Saying Kosovo would join the EU earlier than Serbia, is not only total nonsense in the economic respect but also in the political, since Kosovo is and will stay an integral part of the Republic of Serbia.

According to historical records Kosovo was given to Serbia in 1919 by the Brits... Why can the wrong be made right now? What is the argument for not giving Kosovo independence again???

Unilateral recognition by the United States automatically constitutes statehood, as an international rule of thumb (with the precedent being set by the United States' formal recognition of the state of Israel). The Security Council is a flawed, tyrannical institution which unwisely afforded the Soviet Union, a formerly influential superpower, veto power. Irrespective of the Security Council's decision, which will most likely be a veto by Russia, United States recognition of Kosovar statehood is imminent, and the most likely outcome will be a subsequent recognition by all major, important powers, namely Britian, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, as well as Balkan neighbors such as Albania, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, and perhaps even Bulgaria and Greece, with time. Nations that will refuse recognition are Serbia and Russia, and the list will likely end there. Despite political opposition, Kosova's economic potential, with its endless natural resources (hence Serbia's interest in Northern Kosova, where resources are concentrated), combined with their young, well educated, pro-capitalist population willing to work for less-than-European wages, will undoubtedly compel halfway opponents such as Greece and Bulgaria to recognize Kosova's independence in the name of progression, peace and financial prosperity for the region.

Serbia's threats to neighbors against recognizing Kosova's independence is characteristic of their tactics, violence is the government's trade, even after Milosevic. The tragedy of the situation is that the Serbian people, who hardly care about this issue, are the ones to suffer as their leaders pander to extremists.

Amarilis
Because if you are going to start using history as a basis. The why stop at 1919 when we defeated the "axis of evil". Why not go back to 1389? When Kosovo was taken away from Serbs in the first place.

Serbia is Kosovo
CCCC

Additionally, it is economically impossible for Serbia to maintain Kosova within its borders. The territory would be IMPOSSIBLE to police. The United Nations estimates that there are over 400,000 weapons in Kosova, and inviting Serbian police back into the province is military suicide. Albanians are unlikely to be willing to police the province in the name of the Serbian Government, so conflict is imminent. It would cost too much to police the province, if it were even possible, and Serbia's best interests lie in accepting the inevitable, independence, and planning a business model around Kosova's likely prosperity. The Balkan nations should follow the rest of Europe's model, working together for progression rather than fighting over the crumbs of yesterday's meager prosperities.

All this talk about Milosovic losing Kosovo. If that is the case then why did NATO agree to Milosovic's demand that Kosovo remain Serbian? Furthermore if anyone just visit JANES' a Military authority, research and conflicts archive web site which is also American. On their site search out the NATO-YUGO conflict and you will see that less then 8% of Serbia's military was destroyed and that an experience to NATO of over 100 Billion dollars total. I ask you than who lost the war?

Joe

You suggested to mike to move to Venezuela, since you seem to think he is not Happy in the US? I have been suggesting to you and Nick for weeks to move out of Kosovo since you too are not very happy being a Serbian citizen living in a Serbian province, maybe you should go to Venezuela. They won't give you a VISA because you threw out your Serbian passport and now are using a temporary UN passport which most countries around the world won't issue Visa's to!

canadien,
In the past I used to yugoslavian passaport but lately no one respectd it we got bad reputation from milosevic and his supporters,wherever I travelled seemed people looking at me like I have done something wrong,and now with UN passaport I get the respect as a normal human,visitor,traveller etc.

To: Cvele

man you think that you know everything, which history you are talking about maybe from the Serbian movies , yes yes its for sure Boj na Kosovu.
Please can you tell me have you heard about Ilirians if yes than you you will know that its you who has taken Kosovo from Albanians a and not albanians.
and to some serb dreamers , wake up its time, you are dreaming that you will gain kosovo.
You lost it when you startet the ethinc cleansing and Nato did its job to protect the innocent people.
You people are such a good analists, why dont you take over the instead you leave your foolish politicians to deal with kosovo issue, since you are smarter.
Kosovi is Long gone from Serbia, and one more thing , 'When you once taste the democrasy there is no way going back to the Socialist regime, as it is in Serbia.
Peace to all

Gezim
Okay then where are your foreign investors if ur independent and what happened to all of that, which was said; Everyone will recognize Kosovo except Russia. We have proven who is a better analist.
KOSOVO IS SERBIA
ALWAYS HAS BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE
CCCC

It is ridiculous that the US is once again sticking our nose where it does not belong...Our president has a higher approval rating among Albanians than he does here. That will surely change once they realize the US has made another promise that will be broken. It is a crime that our foolish leaders did not research the history of Kosovo, which has been a part of Serbia long before this country was even a thought...