“UN decision on Kosovo - one of options”

Polt is wrong, not to mention arrogant. The only thing that failed in this case was the US efforts to bully Belgrade!

let him criticize the Americans and Albanians why doesn't the Americans give California and Texas to mexico since the absolute majority is the Mexican people and give Miami to Cuba and Texas to the Mexican people that's fair also.

Kosovo question was solved in the United Nations during 1999. We all have Resolution 1244, so Mr Polt please start working on it.

Ahmet said > "Mr. Polt is being very blunt but serb polticions refuse to beleive that US is dead serious."

The fact is that the US is dead serious about failing. As they have IRAQ. Bush has had one failure after another and things are not likely to change.

Absolute rubbish. When the US has already told the albanians that they will be getting independence, what is there for the albanians to negotiate about? there simply was nothing to discuss. the only way for a discussion to take place would be if no side is promised anything by anyone.

it's the US who have torpedoed any chance of a UN resolution passing. Perversly, maybe that's exactly what they want - A Kosovo in a legal "no-mans land".

Polt's persona and the manner in which he has conducted himself during his mandate here have been and continue to be disgraceful: that any administration could post someone like him as an ambassador to anywhere pretty much exemplifies and, let's be honest, justifies, why there is currently so much anti-American sentiment throughout the world.

All UN recognised soverign & democratic nations would have acted in exactly the same way as Serbia. Unless of course Polt is also suggesting that all other nations including the US should be allowed to be partitioned indiscriminantly - I guess Republica de Norte is next for US recognition - who would Polt be ambassador for if he sanctions indiscriminate partitions of soverign nations?

The US could just as equally disintegrate based on such false hopes that the US administartion put out to the Serbian citizens of ethnic-Albaninan heritage in it's province.

However, the US cannot ignore the UN resolution 1244 that it formulated and signed nor the Heslinki act or the very foundations upon which the UN is based - to do so will have far more severe consequences then the Republic de Norte and will be the responsibility of the US not Serbia - the ball is in the US court - does it choose to ignore and undermine the will of the UN and bring instability to the globe not just the Balkans?

I doubt it - just like I doubt the doomsday and warmongers who suggested that violence would occur without independence in 2006 - yet here we are in second half of 2007 with independence off the UN table!

I find it hard to believe that Michael Polt has the position of US ambassador to Serbia. He clearly does not deserve to be respected.
The man is a troublemaker, with non existent diplomatic skills.

The things that America will say and do to try and retain a massive rent-free military base (Bondsteel) in South East Europe! And to blame Serbia! 'Bad Serbia', who will not accept America coming thousands of miles to provide aire support for Bin Laden's KLA comrades in 1999 and then plant its troops in a joke of a peacekeeping operation and now try to break the country up.

Joe
So it is Kostunica's fault? What do you expect him to do frankly because the Albanians living in Kosovo have forced all the Serbs out their homes and continue to burn houses and churches.
And the few Serbs living their under torment of their "noble" Albanian neighbors should do what exactly? wait till America decides to reward the Albanians, for what? Forming the KLA itself or actually managing to completely remove the Serbs? There is quite alot there for the Americans to reward the Albanians for, and what do the Serbs want? Only something as ridicules as respect for international law and safety for return of their citizens. And even after the Serbs were beginning to be abused by the KLA in 1998 all the way throught o now, Kostunica is still offering you huge Autonomy to govern yourselves, even after all the burned churches and Serbs!?

But lets face it guys the People voted in "democraticlly" by this amazing new democracy they have in Kosovo are pretty experienced in removing Serbs from a land and making a country from it, Agim knows all about that buisiness ;) along with his KLA rebel counterparts in office.

The Serbs will suffer under any US lead agreements because they only favour the Albanians if anyone is naive enough to believe otherwise then i pity them.
Albanians in Kosovo have no conception of the word "agreement" since it involves both parties not just Albanian expansionism.

For Gods sake, come to reason and think who shoul US build an alliance in Balkans with in its best interest !?
(Beogradjanin, 26. July 2007 11:29


Of course not those who caused 4 (FOUR) wars (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo). No need to be a partner with Bin Laden to be evil. Look who is nowadays against US policy: North Corea, Lybia, Siria, Iran and of course, Serbia. Interesting to see how serbs come to forums and cry about: Why US is helping albanian terrorists. But what about UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, all NATO members etc? Are all them stupid? And only serbs are the brightest people in the world?

It is so damaging for the US to give the impression that they can deliver independence within or outside the legal process. This is not a good platform the launch talks.

It is a sign of extreme arrogance that Polt decries Serbia's determination to hold on to her own territory. What country wouldn't? Certainly not the US.

The reason for the failure of talks through the UNSC lies squarely with the US and no other nation.

Nothing of what the US or NATO did, or is doing now, has anything really to do with protecting the Kosovars or bringing independence to a new multi-ethnic society: it was rather a display of military might whose long-range effects have become disastrous, just as is a similar policy in the Middle East. In 1994 when a US intervention might have averted genocide in Rwanda, there was no action by the "humanitarian" NATO. The stakes were not high enough, and black people not worth the effort. When the US and it's representatives, like Mr. Polt, start telling the truth, maybe then honest negotiations can start taking place. US/NATO's true intentions behind their Balkan policies, have been exposed by many since the end of the wars (just follow the petro-dollars). BTW, I always thought an ambassador's job was to promote good relations between his, and his host's country? This guy is setting diplomacy back 2000 years.

And I blaim US government for pushing serbinas to "other" side of iron courtain. For Gods sake, come to reason and think who shoul US build an alliance in Balkans with in its best interest !?

Polt needs to be relieved of his duties immediately as he has clearly overstepped the boundaries of his post as an ambassador. His comments continue to be arrogant, and completely out of line for a supposedly mature statesman. The very idea any country is to be blamed to wanting to maintain its territorial integrity against the encroachments of another state is the height of insanity. The United States should be the first country to realize the sanctity of sovereignty since we came up with the famous "Don't Tread on Me" Flag. Obviously, this is something that only applies to the US. What arrogance. It seems my government is now imposing Eminent Domain on other states!

Not a surprise to find the Albanians and Joe all gung ho about this, while the rest of the world finds it reprehensible. The Albanians are getting something out of this (understandable) and Joe is still of the mind that the American government is infallible and a guiding light of moral freedoms.

Mr. Polt is being very blunt but serb polticions refuse to beleive that US is dead serious , but when all political effort has been used and no result, the US will say enough is enough just like Bush said the time will come and it will be all over.

More nonsense from Polt. Serbia has every right to not see itself dismembered so he can go back to the US.

We Albanians should be proud of having a strong ally such as the U.S.

At this point in time I believe the US & allies will go ahead and act unilaterally. This action will destroy the last bit of credibility the US has in international politics. Iran, Syria, North Korea, Venezuela are watching and waiting for this! Once all the "good will" is gone the US will be isolated and no longer able to project it's will or power without grave repercussions. Our leaders and mostly compliant people are paving the way to our own doom! The problem is (Mr. Polt is a good example) that Americans feel infallible, untouchable, we can do whatever we want without any price to pay later.

Well that speaks for itself. The K-Albanians have waited for almost 100 years, a few more months won't hurt.
And now let's wait for all the opponents of Kosovo's independence to vent their anger at the US and quote resolutions and precedents and US arrogance and illegal actions etc etc etc...

Hey svojgazda,

"Nothing of what the US or NATO did, or is doing now, has anything really to do with protecting the Kosovars or bringing independence to a new multi-ethnic society: it was rather a display of military might whose long-range..." blah-blah

can you please tell where were you on 1999?

Do you think that the mass graves and horrific scenes of almost 1 million refuges were staged?
Do you think that if a doctor cannot cure the whole planet shouldn't try to cure what he can?

I have said numerously that Kosova will be independent one way or another. America will give back Kosova to Kosovars because it's 95% Albanian who do not wish to remain under Serbia they don't want corrupt Police who still their money and then beat them for crying or ask them to get on the horse the horse that is drawn in the wall until they broke ankles arms and so on, That is the bottom line. And no matter what the Russians/Serbs do this will not change, and its a shame that the Serb government will spend time in such a lost cause.

As to Mitrovica this will not change Gold, zinc and copper is what American came for and that's what they will get for helping the Kosovars, that's why Kosova will remain intact.

Move on Serbia the EU is our target not war

I am proud that we have such a good and bluntly speaking ambassador in Belgrade. Well done Mister Polt! It was time to point out who is responsible for the failure of finding a raisonable status of Kosovo. It is already obvious to me that at the end the K-Serbs will pay the price of the fullish policies of Kostunica.

Miri, I assumed when I read your response to my comment, “Where were you in 1999?”, that you are still of those that think there was a genocide in Kosovo. Are you in the USA, where the media are yet to report on the genocide lie? The Kosovan Albanians contrived with the USA a rain of horrific, unwarranted, and illegal bombing of the Serb state. The exodus you refer to was a result of that bombing. The JNA did not have the manpower to orchestrate such an endeavor as driving Albanians out of Kosovo in all directions. The fallout from our American friends’ humanitarian actions continues for Serbs; including death, ethnic cleansing or ghettoisation for the remaining Kosovan Serbs.

The time has come to shake Bush, Rice, Polt et al from their pseudo-reality and explain to them what they dare not tell themselves: "we" will not get there this year, or next, or any other, any more than "we" did in 2006. In other words, it is time to tell them that Kosovo will NOT be independent. That is not simply an opinion; it is also a statement of diplomatic and political reality. America's leaders need to get beyond denial. They need to stop telling themselves and the world that it will happen. They need to tell the American people the truth which is that Bush lost his Kosovo gambit when he turned it into a test of Russian resolve, after all the atrocities his predecessor committed against the Serbs. Chronicles will tell the truth if the U.S. Administration leaders cannot, and that truth is that their proteges will not rule in Kosovo any more than America will rule in Vietnam. It's gone, Mr. Polt, it's over.

Miri wrote:
"Do you think that if a doctor cannot cure the whole planet shouldn't try to cure what he can?"

Unfortunately, it's that same doctor who helped contaminate the patient in the first place..

Polt (although blunt), isn't very talented...
Perhaps it's an indication of how the US cares for both Serbs AND Albanians...

Pandeli
So you understand. Excellent! Serbs have clearly answered your own question. NATO countries. Its an allience and the strongest ally always dictates to the rest. However, this world has about 200 countries. NATO is not the majority. So Serbs are yet again right.

KOSOVO IS SERBIA
CCCC

For person who remembers high class American diplomats, like Henry Kissinger, Syrus Wans i.e., the most recent comments of mr Polt, represent erosion of US diplomacy. These statements are even under the level of middle class columnists. Mr Polt obviously did not understand his teachers properly. Moreover he does not think of possible consequences of his statements. This is not just lack of education, but rather lack of humanity, as well.

okay so after Kosovo gets independence from Serbia, Texas and California can go back to Mexico, since a big part of the population in Those states is of Mexican desent, and were once a part of Mexico, it only seems fair.

Dear teni,

So, finally we have it! Thank you! The K-Albanians have waited for a 100 years (at least), well before Milosevic was even born...Interesting. I appreciate you admitting that this pre-dates the late politician, and that it also includes the periods of WW I and Albanian alliance with, first the Turks, then the Austro-Hungarians, and in WW II the Germans, to whose benefit the K-Albanians formed an SS Division, something to truly be proud of. I'm not ranting, just noting a few facts and agreeing with your admission...etc, etc, etc...

His Excellency M Polt is correct. He put the blame where it fits and belongs. Squarely on serbia and russia. For this "detour" Russia will have a tougher time in their econ. sphere. And, most definitely, Serbia will suffer because of their chosen "Russian Perspective" and lying to the EU for saying they want to join the EU. They cannot say one thing and do the exact opposite. Seriously, you think EU is this gullible? Get a clue Tadic and tell your people the truth. Your EU candidacy is based wholly on Serbian leaders accepting the EU perspective, not the Russian one.

Mike,

It is mind-boggling how blind and biased you are. "Sanctity of sovereignty" for all normal countries who deserve it. Yes!! But Serbia is a great exception. This country in 1999 turned against 2 millions of its own citizens by trying to expel them. A
country, who burned the houses of its "unloved" citizens and killed thousands of those citizens because they belonged to a different ethnicity. The mentality of the dirigents of that country did not change. So I find it very amoral to defend such a country and at the same time dump on its own.

regarding the tone Mr.Polt is using in order to blame others for own failure makes me quite confident.
the "one and only global superpower" =) is acting like a middle-class power, actually.
so, to calm Albanians like teni or Ahmed down, there is no need to mention UNSC 1244 if the US-officials disqualify themselves in that undiplomatic way!

"...why doesn't the Americans give California and Texas to mexico since the absolute majority is the Mexican people and give Miami to Cuba and Texas to the Mexican people that's fair also."

Let those Mexican and Cubans vote whether they want to live in a Texas, Florida or California under Mexico and Cuba or live like they're living now under the USA. You and the Serbs who keep mentioning this will be unpleasantly surprised. You are picking the wrong analogies. If you had mentioned Chechnia for example that would have made your statement more convincing.

Miri
I saw everything that you saw and I looked at it as emotionally as you did but I did not let my heart rule my head because I know that the interest of Great Powers was at the root of what you and I saw on TV screens. Like in many other global crisis the victim was victimized in the propaganda of the aggressors. In 1967 when the Russian army entered Czechoslovakia to end the Prague Spring our Media showed the people in tears while the Russian Media showed the same crowd throwing flowers at the Russian soldiers. I saw an interview conducted by Christiana Amanpour with a Kosovo mother tears flowing with two children in tow during the Crisis that you write about. She asked the woman where is your husband and the woman responded that he was killed by the Serbs. Christiana asked her little boy where his father was and the boy responded, he is with the UCK. Children are taught to tell the truth and only when they see adults fabricating events they feel that it is OK not to tell the truth. Attack on Serbia was an orchestrated campaign of disinformation. Every media outlet in the West became an arm of NATO disinformation. There were some who dared tell it as it was like Alessio Vinci reporting from Belgrade but their reports did not get much airtime. Interviews conducted on TV featured one sided self serving .NATO spokes person who spun the line—Shea, Rubin, Cook, Holbrook, Salona, not to mention the leaders of the major NATO nations, and every one of those leaders has been investigated for corruption and influence pedaling while in office and some after they left their office. The other night while watching CNN Democratic debates (the least trusted name in the news) Mike Gravel looked at Hillary Clinton and some others on the stage and said if you want more of the same elect them and you get a Bush clone. He said follow the money and you will find the same people support Bush as they support Clinton and several other All of us need to heed Gravel’s advice.

Pandeli:

if you insist: "One of the BDN recordings revealed the transportation of two-million euros from the Swiss Bank based in the city of Visalia, account number 239700-93457-00097, owned by Exhet Boria, which was masked by an offshore account with a code XS52-KOLER to Ahtisaari’s bank account in the Bank of Cyprus, account number 3459346699004533, code VOLANND."

...Bring on the next Serb denegrating generalization without support of real data/proof

1 million Americans of Serbian heritage have done very little to influence US administrations into adopting a more evenhanded approach to the Kosovo problem.It is a disgrace to have a guy like Polt talking down to the Serbs as if he is their overlord.Maybe if he learned about all the great things that Serbs have contributed to America(Tesla,Pistol Pete etc.) then he would not be so arrogant.Maybe if he knew that his salary is being subsidized by Chinese money then he may be more humble.Does any objective American think that what 6 million Albanians want is more important than what 12 million Serbs want?Does any objective American think that Kosovo is more important for European stability than Russia?Serbia will always hold the deed to Kosovo and no legal mechanism exists for the US to take it away.The Serbs should ask the Chinese to step up to the plate and tell Bush to respect international law and the sovereignty of all states or we are going to stop lending you billions for your unilateral expeditions.A US recognition of Kosovo independence will simply mean that the US will have 2 million more people on welfare for the American taxpayer to support.The EU should inform all the residents of Kosovo that as citizens of Serbia they will join the EU tomorrow but as citizens of Kosova they will join in the next century.

Polt, just like the current occupants of the Whitehouse, is an embarrassment to America and represents less than 30% of American society. The general rule for the current American regime is as follows: "If the Bush administration supports it, it's bad." Of course, America has had over 14 years of poor foreign policy leadership. God help us all, if they are the best and brightest they can get.

Of course not those who caused 4 (FOUR) wars (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo). No need to be a partner with Bin Laden to be evil. Look who is nowadays against US policy: North Corea, Lybia, Siria, Iran and of course, Serbia. Interesting to see how serbs come to forums and cry about: Why US is helping albanian terrorists. But what about UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, all NATO members etc? Are all them stupid? And only serbs are the brightest people in the world?
(Pandeli, 26. July 2007 18:40)

Here we go again with the 'Axis of Evil', 'You are either with us or against us' crap that is continually spouted by the Bushies and their acolytes.

As for the Serbs causing 4 wars, well let me rejog your memory here. Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia all illgelly seceeded from the SFRJ. What was an internationally recognised, sovereign state of SFRJ supposed to do, nothing. Now what would the US have done if say Hawaii, California and Texas decided to seceed from the USA? Exactly the same as SFRJ tried to do. The actions of the Republics violated the 1974 Constitution and the Helsinki Agreement of 1975 which declared the boundaries of internationally recognised states involuable. Kosovo, well Yugoslav authorities were fighting an insurrection against a nasty, criminal, fascist operative group called the KLA and later used by NATO as there own proxy army. Think of the Contras in Nicaragua and you get the idea. Milosevic's ham fisted responce aggrivated the whole thing and the subsequent NATO bombing provoked chaos on the ground.

Now back to Serbia being in league with the likes of NK, Cuba, Libya, Syria, Iran, Venezuela and every dictator on the planet. What Serbia is doing right now is following its rightful and legal course of action within the confines of inetrnational law enshrined (and ratified by countries like the US) to maintain its territorial integrity and its staus as a viable independent state. What you are saying is that Serbia engaging in this normal behaviour, indeed as any nation state would is automatically in your eyes a terrorist and grouping them in some kind of 'Axis of Evil'. That is some twisted logic and reason you have sir.

"Yes, serbian govt has lost its 'claim' to Kosova, although, I would add, Kosova was NEVER theirs in the first place. As Kosova was a Province of X yugoslavia not serbia. Serbia has never been able to claim Kosova and it still has no right to it now..."

ok, please do tell us which serbian government lost it's claim to kosovo? was it milosevic's or kostunica's? or is it the Nemanjic dynasty from the 12th century?
also, kosovo was and is an autonomous province of serbia.
serbia was a socialist state in the SFRJ. if you have something negative to say about the way things were done in the past or the way they are being done today, at least use facts, not slander and speculation.

Mr. Polt is being very blunt but serb polticions refuse to beleive that US is dead serious , but when all political effort has been used and no result, the US will say enough is enough just like Bush said the time will come and it will be all over.
(Ahmet Isufi, 26. July 2007 11:53)

Polt is now gone. Ahmet, who are you referring to now - bush? Please nobody takes him seriously. No one! The new chap in the UK is contemplating pulling the troops out of the middle east - why - cause it's nonsense & a waste of time, energy, people's children & money.

This is a complete waste of time, effort & energy to have yet another puppet of bush as a representative of the US. Let's see what he really says when he returns....there's always two sides to each coin.

It is incomprehensible and inexcusable of Mr.Polt to be advocating dismemberment of his host country – would he give California to Mexico, just because Mexican immigrants (legal and illegal decide that they want to join Mexico??? Not to mention ethnic cleansing of the Serbs by Albanians and the fact that Kosovo is birthplace of Serbian culture and church.

It is also true that Serbia would be better partner for US and the West compared to independent Kosovo. One has to look at the economic potential, geopolitical position and alliances in the past. However, the truth is Bush does not seem to really care about Kosovo or the region that much. As pointed out Kosovo air war was showcase for NATO around its anniversary and did not go as planned, resulting in UN resolution 1244 that protects Serbia’s integrity. More recently since Bush was portrayed as anti-Islamic, having a pro-Muslim policy somewhere in the world was perceived as a benefit. The Europeans and US wanted to wrap up the Kosovo, but it is important to find most long term viable, just and legal solution. Now is not 1999 anymore, and there is still UN resolution 1244 – which can be overturned only by another UN resolution. The Europeans and US will start realizing that Serbia is their better long term partner.

To H.E.Polt: "The U.S. and its client states will be responsible for delaying the resolution of the Kosovo issue, as well as for incitement of certain number of people of Kosovo for violent actions and separatist movement.

What you are saying is that Serbia engaging in this normal behaviour,--Niall Ireland"""

When a govt..even one that 'succeeded' the previous one, engages in cleansing 1 million of its own citizens from their homes and fires hundred of thousands from their jobs and poisons hundreds of the Non serb children in their schools and murders 10,000 unarmed, elderly, children, mothers, and other non combatant citizens, proceeds to dig up the cadavers of these murdered citizens to hide in trucks and dumped into the danube for a coverup, and even in this current govt's policy towards these same citizens, FAILS to include them in their list of voters in their last two national elections/referendum on their constitution, then, it's clear in every nation's eyes that this govt. and its successor has broken International Laws of how a govt behaves towards its citizens and its policies towards these same people. Yes, serbian govt has lost its 'claim' to Kosova, although, I would add, Kosova was NEVER theirs in the first place. As Kosova was a Province of X yugoslavia not serbia. Serbia has never been able to claim Kosova and it still has no right to it now.

Mr. O'Doherty, you say "As for the Serbs causing 4 wars, well let me rejog your memory here. Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia all illgelly seceeded from the SFRJ."

This comment shows how little you know about this part of the world. These three republics had constitutional rights to seceed from Yogoslavia and they didn't wait for Serbia Parlament to change Yugoslav Constitution to prevent this,like it did with Kosova.
But the problem is that Serbia considers every fly that flies around it's head as it's own, and that's why will be left with nothing. No one expects that Serbia will agree to let Kosovo, and that's why international community has to decide.

Well what do you expect from a politician. I'm an American of Serbian decent and I respect the ethnic Albanian people. I believe that the problem is with everyone else in the world. Not with Serbia and Kosovo. If everone doesn't agree with something then you don't look for loop-holes, you try to solve it with everyone's aproval. So that should overule a speedy solution to Kosovo. A speedy soultion is a foolish decision and the US and the EU knows this but chooses to ignore it. I also believe that the current condition of the world won't be able to solve this problem. Therefor there needs to be a new system created. What we need is a "unified world nation" that all people in every country is included in. I believe that this will solve most of the problems of the world including health care, economics, and fueding ethnic races. But of course this would be opposed by the private businesses who want to make more money than everyone else. So please think "World Nation" not the 192 members of the UN. This "World Nation" would also include colonies, provinces, and other territorial lands. This plan should suffice for not only Kosovo but the entire world.

Vuk

Please be realistic, Kosovo sooner or later will be independent. And I can guarantee you that majority of Serbs do not even care about Kosovo, they never been there, they wouldn't want to go there. I say move on, accept that with Kosovo you can only be neighbors. No more ruling.

Its for the best for Serbia to concentrate in other things such as its economy and working hard to join EU rather than waisting time with Kosovo.

Kosovo is de-facto Independent.

the mine in the north will belong to other investors and none will go to the people those mines have been bought so many times it is not funny and it will remain in the courts to settle owner ship. until then no mining. Since this was suppose to help Kosovo only thing it is going to help is the foreign investors who will fight over it and Kosovo won't see a dime.

PANDELI writes “For Gods sake, come to reason and think who US should build an alliance in Balkans with in its best interest!? “Of course not those who caused 4 (FOUR) wars (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo)’ what you say PANDELI is 100% true and what you attempted to say is 100% false. PANDELI continues to write that Albanians are supported by “UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, all NATO members”. The leaders of each one of these countries have been investigated for criminal activity and corruption. Follow the money Pandeli and you will see why your faux pas is very true.

Wlter , for time being I thought that you were a person with high education, but now I se that I was wrong.You claim that NATO bombing expeled Albanians and not serbian soldiers. I wish you were one of thise on the line and getting stripped of money and any oy=ther times with value , including ID cards and passport were taken away so that these people can never come back and have no papers to claim their origin. You are a piece of work Walter.

To Svojgada who said: "Are you in the USA, where the media are yet to report on the genocide lie?.." and the rest who responded with the same retoric.

No, I was in Kukes, Albania at that time setting the tents for the never-ending refugees spilling over the border from Kosova. So I saw with my own eyes what western media was reporting. What about you, where were you at that time? In Belgrade watching your own state television? You never answered my question?

Luciano,
You say "1 million Americans of Serbian heritage have done very little to influence US administrations".
There could be 2 reasons for that. I suppose that 99% of the Serbian-Americans are blue-collar...not sophisticated enough about lobbying. But the main reason could be that from the USA they were able to see/recognize all those terrible crimes their "old country" committed against the K-Albanians and as a result agree with the official policies of their adoptive country.

To;VUK

Vuk what a comment, man you should come to Kosovo and see it how it is.
And when you say"But lets face it guys the People voted in "democraticlly" by this amazing new democracy they have in Kosovo are pretty experienced in removing Serbs from a land and making a country from it, Agim knows all about that buisiness ;) along with his KLA rebel counterparts in office" I think the Serbs are experienced for removing the none serbs from Yougoslavia or Serbia , we are not the ones who had war with Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia. So please pay a bit attention to what you are posting in this comments.
And for what kind of democracy you are talking about , is it that kind democracy that you use to have on us , by treating us as animals , by this comment i see that still you have the same opinion about Albanians as you did 100 years ago, for you gays nothing has changed you want Kosovo to be part of Serbia but you dont want the Albanians to be on it

Peace in Kosovo and Serbia

People of Serbia I must say that what you are talking about Kosovo it relly makes no sens , do you know that 95% are albanians there, its 2.000,000 K albanians.
You adopt resolutions on your own if there is no K Albanians have you ever askd the Albanians what do they want and before the war started , you should have treated us equal as citizens of one country, but you spread the hatered and considering your self as a Holy people, this is not the way if you want to be together with K Albanians.
And again you think after what has happend you think that we will close our eyes and continue to be ruled again from you r side, I think not.
As for the russians we dont care even when we get the Independency
You lost kosovo that day when you took the Autonomy and started the expel of pople from their jobs, and you brought refuges from Vukovar this is the truth what happend in kosovo

I am proud that we have such a good and bluntly speaking ambassador in Belgrade. Well done Mister Polt! It was time to point out who is responsible for the failure of finding a raisonable status of Kosovo. It is already obvious to me that at the end the K-Serbs will pay the price of the fullish policies of Kostunica.

For Gods sake, come to reason and think who shoul US build an alliance in Balkans with in its best interest !?
(Beogradjanin, 26. July 2007 11:29


Of course not those who caused 4 (FOUR) wars (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo). No need to be a partner with Bin Laden to be evil. Look who is nowadays against US policy: North Corea, Lybia, Siria, Iran and of course, Serbia. Interesting to see how serbs come to forums and cry about: Why US is helping albanian terrorists. But what about UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, all NATO members etc? Are all them stupid? And only serbs are the brightest people in the world?

We Albanians should be proud of having a strong ally such as the U.S.

Polt is wrong, not to mention arrogant. The only thing that failed in this case was the US efforts to bully Belgrade!

Mr. Polt is being very blunt but serb polticions refuse to beleive that US is dead serious , but when all political effort has been used and no result, the US will say enough is enough just like Bush said the time will come and it will be all over.

All UN recognised soverign & democratic nations would have acted in exactly the same way as Serbia. Unless of course Polt is also suggesting that all other nations including the US should be allowed to be partitioned indiscriminantly - I guess Republica de Norte is next for US recognition - who would Polt be ambassador for if he sanctions indiscriminate partitions of soverign nations?

The US could just as equally disintegrate based on such false hopes that the US administartion put out to the Serbian citizens of ethnic-Albaninan heritage in it's province.

However, the US cannot ignore the UN resolution 1244 that it formulated and signed nor the Heslinki act or the very foundations upon which the UN is based - to do so will have far more severe consequences then the Republic de Norte and will be the responsibility of the US not Serbia - the ball is in the US court - does it choose to ignore and undermine the will of the UN and bring instability to the globe not just the Balkans?

I doubt it - just like I doubt the doomsday and warmongers who suggested that violence would occur without independence in 2006 - yet here we are in second half of 2007 with independence off the UN table!

Hey svojgazda,

"Nothing of what the US or NATO did, or is doing now, has anything really to do with protecting the Kosovars or bringing independence to a new multi-ethnic society: it was rather a display of military might whose long-range..." blah-blah

can you please tell where were you on 1999?

Do you think that the mass graves and horrific scenes of almost 1 million refuges were staged?
Do you think that if a doctor cannot cure the whole planet shouldn't try to cure what he can?

I have said numerously that Kosova will be independent one way or another. America will give back Kosova to Kosovars because it's 95% Albanian who do not wish to remain under Serbia they don't want corrupt Police who still their money and then beat them for crying or ask them to get on the horse the horse that is drawn in the wall until they broke ankles arms and so on, That is the bottom line. And no matter what the Russians/Serbs do this will not change, and its a shame that the Serb government will spend time in such a lost cause.

As to Mitrovica this will not change Gold, zinc and copper is what American came for and that's what they will get for helping the Kosovars, that's why Kosova will remain intact.

Move on Serbia the EU is our target not war

Well that speaks for itself. The K-Albanians have waited for almost 100 years, a few more months won't hurt.
And now let's wait for all the opponents of Kosovo's independence to vent their anger at the US and quote resolutions and precedents and US arrogance and illegal actions etc etc etc...

Kosovo question was solved in the United Nations during 1999. We all have Resolution 1244, so Mr Polt please start working on it.

Miri wrote:
"Do you think that if a doctor cannot cure the whole planet shouldn't try to cure what he can?"

Unfortunately, it's that same doctor who helped contaminate the patient in the first place..

Polt (although blunt), isn't very talented...
Perhaps it's an indication of how the US cares for both Serbs AND Albanians...

Absolute rubbish. When the US has already told the albanians that they will be getting independence, what is there for the albanians to negotiate about? there simply was nothing to discuss. the only way for a discussion to take place would be if no side is promised anything by anyone.

it's the US who have torpedoed any chance of a UN resolution passing. Perversly, maybe that's exactly what they want - A Kosovo in a legal "no-mans land".

The things that America will say and do to try and retain a massive rent-free military base (Bondsteel) in South East Europe! And to blame Serbia! 'Bad Serbia', who will not accept America coming thousands of miles to provide aire support for Bin Laden's KLA comrades in 1999 and then plant its troops in a joke of a peacekeeping operation and now try to break the country up.

I find it hard to believe that Michael Polt has the position of US ambassador to Serbia. He clearly does not deserve to be respected.
The man is a troublemaker, with non existent diplomatic skills.

Polt's persona and the manner in which he has conducted himself during his mandate here have been and continue to be disgraceful: that any administration could post someone like him as an ambassador to anywhere pretty much exemplifies and, let's be honest, justifies, why there is currently so much anti-American sentiment throughout the world.

let him criticize the Americans and Albanians why doesn't the Americans give California and Texas to mexico since the absolute majority is the Mexican people and give Miami to Cuba and Texas to the Mexican people that's fair also.

Ahmet said > "Mr. Polt is being very blunt but serb polticions refuse to beleive that US is dead serious."

The fact is that the US is dead serious about failing. As they have IRAQ. Bush has had one failure after another and things are not likely to change.

Joe
So it is Kostunica's fault? What do you expect him to do frankly because the Albanians living in Kosovo have forced all the Serbs out their homes and continue to burn houses and churches.
And the few Serbs living their under torment of their "noble" Albanian neighbors should do what exactly? wait till America decides to reward the Albanians, for what? Forming the KLA itself or actually managing to completely remove the Serbs? There is quite alot there for the Americans to reward the Albanians for, and what do the Serbs want? Only something as ridicules as respect for international law and safety for return of their citizens. And even after the Serbs were beginning to be abused by the KLA in 1998 all the way throught o now, Kostunica is still offering you huge Autonomy to govern yourselves, even after all the burned churches and Serbs!?

But lets face it guys the People voted in "democraticlly" by this amazing new democracy they have in Kosovo are pretty experienced in removing Serbs from a land and making a country from it, Agim knows all about that buisiness ;) along with his KLA rebel counterparts in office.

The Serbs will suffer under any US lead agreements because they only favour the Albanians if anyone is naive enough to believe otherwise then i pity them.
Albanians in Kosovo have no conception of the word "agreement" since it involves both parties not just Albanian expansionism.

Mike,

It is mind-boggling how blind and biased you are. "Sanctity of sovereignty" for all normal countries who deserve it. Yes!! But Serbia is a great exception. This country in 1999 turned against 2 millions of its own citizens by trying to expel them. A
country, who burned the houses of its "unloved" citizens and killed thousands of those citizens because they belonged to a different ethnicity. The mentality of the dirigents of that country did not change. So I find it very amoral to defend such a country and at the same time dump on its own.

It is so damaging for the US to give the impression that they can deliver independence within or outside the legal process. This is not a good platform the launch talks.

It is a sign of extreme arrogance that Polt decries Serbia's determination to hold on to her own territory. What country wouldn't? Certainly not the US.

The reason for the failure of talks through the UNSC lies squarely with the US and no other nation.

Nothing of what the US or NATO did, or is doing now, has anything really to do with protecting the Kosovars or bringing independence to a new multi-ethnic society: it was rather a display of military might whose long-range effects have become disastrous, just as is a similar policy in the Middle East. In 1994 when a US intervention might have averted genocide in Rwanda, there was no action by the "humanitarian" NATO. The stakes were not high enough, and black people not worth the effort. When the US and it's representatives, like Mr. Polt, start telling the truth, maybe then honest negotiations can start taking place. US/NATO's true intentions behind their Balkan policies, have been exposed by many since the end of the wars (just follow the petro-dollars). BTW, I always thought an ambassador's job was to promote good relations between his, and his host's country? This guy is setting diplomacy back 2000 years.

More nonsense from Polt. Serbia has every right to not see itself dismembered so he can go back to the US.

At this point in time I believe the US & allies will go ahead and act unilaterally. This action will destroy the last bit of credibility the US has in international politics. Iran, Syria, North Korea, Venezuela are watching and waiting for this! Once all the "good will" is gone the US will be isolated and no longer able to project it's will or power without grave repercussions. Our leaders and mostly compliant people are paving the way to our own doom! The problem is (Mr. Polt is a good example) that Americans feel infallible, untouchable, we can do whatever we want without any price to pay later.

His Excellency M Polt is correct. He put the blame where it fits and belongs. Squarely on serbia and russia. For this "detour" Russia will have a tougher time in their econ. sphere. And, most definitely, Serbia will suffer because of their chosen "Russian Perspective" and lying to the EU for saying they want to join the EU. They cannot say one thing and do the exact opposite. Seriously, you think EU is this gullible? Get a clue Tadic and tell your people the truth. Your EU candidacy is based wholly on Serbian leaders accepting the EU perspective, not the Russian one.

Luciano,
You say "1 million Americans of Serbian heritage have done very little to influence US administrations".
There could be 2 reasons for that. I suppose that 99% of the Serbian-Americans are blue-collar...not sophisticated enough about lobbying. But the main reason could be that from the USA they were able to see/recognize all those terrible crimes their "old country" committed against the K-Albanians and as a result agree with the official policies of their adoptive country.

And I blaim US government for pushing serbinas to "other" side of iron courtain. For Gods sake, come to reason and think who shoul US build an alliance in Balkans with in its best interest !?

Polt needs to be relieved of his duties immediately as he has clearly overstepped the boundaries of his post as an ambassador. His comments continue to be arrogant, and completely out of line for a supposedly mature statesman. The very idea any country is to be blamed to wanting to maintain its territorial integrity against the encroachments of another state is the height of insanity. The United States should be the first country to realize the sanctity of sovereignty since we came up with the famous "Don't Tread on Me" Flag. Obviously, this is something that only applies to the US. What arrogance. It seems my government is now imposing Eminent Domain on other states!

Not a surprise to find the Albanians and Joe all gung ho about this, while the rest of the world finds it reprehensible. The Albanians are getting something out of this (understandable) and Joe is still of the mind that the American government is infallible and a guiding light of moral freedoms.

Vuk

Please be realistic, Kosovo sooner or later will be independent. And I can guarantee you that majority of Serbs do not even care about Kosovo, they never been there, they wouldn't want to go there. I say move on, accept that with Kosovo you can only be neighbors. No more ruling.

Its for the best for Serbia to concentrate in other things such as its economy and working hard to join EU rather than waisting time with Kosovo.

Kosovo is de-facto Independent.

Wlter , for time being I thought that you were a person with high education, but now I se that I was wrong.You claim that NATO bombing expeled Albanians and not serbian soldiers. I wish you were one of thise on the line and getting stripped of money and any oy=ther times with value , including ID cards and passport were taken away so that these people can never come back and have no papers to claim their origin. You are a piece of work Walter.

To;VUK

Vuk what a comment, man you should come to Kosovo and see it how it is.
And when you say"But lets face it guys the People voted in "democraticlly" by this amazing new democracy they have in Kosovo are pretty experienced in removing Serbs from a land and making a country from it, Agim knows all about that buisiness ;) along with his KLA rebel counterparts in office" I think the Serbs are experienced for removing the none serbs from Yougoslavia or Serbia , we are not the ones who had war with Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia. So please pay a bit attention to what you are posting in this comments.
And for what kind of democracy you are talking about , is it that kind democracy that you use to have on us , by treating us as animals , by this comment i see that still you have the same opinion about Albanians as you did 100 years ago, for you gays nothing has changed you want Kosovo to be part of Serbia but you dont want the Albanians to be on it

Peace in Kosovo and Serbia

Pandeli
So you understand. Excellent! Serbs have clearly answered your own question. NATO countries. Its an allience and the strongest ally always dictates to the rest. However, this world has about 200 countries. NATO is not the majority. So Serbs are yet again right.

KOSOVO IS SERBIA
CCCC

1 million Americans of Serbian heritage have done very little to influence US administrations into adopting a more evenhanded approach to the Kosovo problem.It is a disgrace to have a guy like Polt talking down to the Serbs as if he is their overlord.Maybe if he learned about all the great things that Serbs have contributed to America(Tesla,Pistol Pete etc.) then he would not be so arrogant.Maybe if he knew that his salary is being subsidized by Chinese money then he may be more humble.Does any objective American think that what 6 million Albanians want is more important than what 12 million Serbs want?Does any objective American think that Kosovo is more important for European stability than Russia?Serbia will always hold the deed to Kosovo and no legal mechanism exists for the US to take it away.The Serbs should ask the Chinese to step up to the plate and tell Bush to respect international law and the sovereignty of all states or we are going to stop lending you billions for your unilateral expeditions.A US recognition of Kosovo independence will simply mean that the US will have 2 million more people on welfare for the American taxpayer to support.The EU should inform all the residents of Kosovo that as citizens of Serbia they will join the EU tomorrow but as citizens of Kosova they will join in the next century.

To Svojgada who said: "Are you in the USA, where the media are yet to report on the genocide lie?.." and the rest who responded with the same retoric.

No, I was in Kukes, Albania at that time setting the tents for the never-ending refugees spilling over the border from Kosova. So I saw with my own eyes what western media was reporting. What about you, where were you at that time? In Belgrade watching your own state television? You never answered my question?

What you are saying is that Serbia engaging in this normal behaviour,--Niall Ireland"""

When a govt..even one that 'succeeded' the previous one, engages in cleansing 1 million of its own citizens from their homes and fires hundred of thousands from their jobs and poisons hundreds of the Non serb children in their schools and murders 10,000 unarmed, elderly, children, mothers, and other non combatant citizens, proceeds to dig up the cadavers of these murdered citizens to hide in trucks and dumped into the danube for a coverup, and even in this current govt's policy towards these same citizens, FAILS to include them in their list of voters in their last two national elections/referendum on their constitution, then, it's clear in every nation's eyes that this govt. and its successor has broken International Laws of how a govt behaves towards its citizens and its policies towards these same people. Yes, serbian govt has lost its 'claim' to Kosova, although, I would add, Kosova was NEVER theirs in the first place. As Kosova was a Province of X yugoslavia not serbia. Serbia has never been able to claim Kosova and it still has no right to it now.

People of Serbia I must say that what you are talking about Kosovo it relly makes no sens , do you know that 95% are albanians there, its 2.000,000 K albanians.
You adopt resolutions on your own if there is no K Albanians have you ever askd the Albanians what do they want and before the war started , you should have treated us equal as citizens of one country, but you spread the hatered and considering your self as a Holy people, this is not the way if you want to be together with K Albanians.
And again you think after what has happend you think that we will close our eyes and continue to be ruled again from you r side, I think not.
As for the russians we dont care even when we get the Independency
You lost kosovo that day when you took the Autonomy and started the expel of pople from their jobs, and you brought refuges from Vukovar this is the truth what happend in kosovo

Mr. O'Doherty, you say "As for the Serbs causing 4 wars, well let me rejog your memory here. Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia all illgelly seceeded from the SFRJ."

This comment shows how little you know about this part of the world. These three republics had constitutional rights to seceed from Yogoslavia and they didn't wait for Serbia Parlament to change Yugoslav Constitution to prevent this,like it did with Kosova.
But the problem is that Serbia considers every fly that flies around it's head as it's own, and that's why will be left with nothing. No one expects that Serbia will agree to let Kosovo, and that's why international community has to decide.

regarding the tone Mr.Polt is using in order to blame others for own failure makes me quite confident.
the "one and only global superpower" =) is acting like a middle-class power, actually.
so, to calm Albanians like teni or Ahmed down, there is no need to mention UNSC 1244 if the US-officials disqualify themselves in that undiplomatic way!

"...why doesn't the Americans give California and Texas to mexico since the absolute majority is the Mexican people and give Miami to Cuba and Texas to the Mexican people that's fair also."

Let those Mexican and Cubans vote whether they want to live in a Texas, Florida or California under Mexico and Cuba or live like they're living now under the USA. You and the Serbs who keep mentioning this will be unpleasantly surprised. You are picking the wrong analogies. If you had mentioned Chechnia for example that would have made your statement more convincing.

Miri, I assumed when I read your response to my comment, “Where were you in 1999?”, that you are still of those that think there was a genocide in Kosovo. Are you in the USA, where the media are yet to report on the genocide lie? The Kosovan Albanians contrived with the USA a rain of horrific, unwarranted, and illegal bombing of the Serb state. The exodus you refer to was a result of that bombing. The JNA did not have the manpower to orchestrate such an endeavor as driving Albanians out of Kosovo in all directions. The fallout from our American friends’ humanitarian actions continues for Serbs; including death, ethnic cleansing or ghettoisation for the remaining Kosovan Serbs.

The time has come to shake Bush, Rice, Polt et al from their pseudo-reality and explain to them what they dare not tell themselves: "we" will not get there this year, or next, or any other, any more than "we" did in 2006. In other words, it is time to tell them that Kosovo will NOT be independent. That is not simply an opinion; it is also a statement of diplomatic and political reality. America's leaders need to get beyond denial. They need to stop telling themselves and the world that it will happen. They need to tell the American people the truth which is that Bush lost his Kosovo gambit when he turned it into a test of Russian resolve, after all the atrocities his predecessor committed against the Serbs. Chronicles will tell the truth if the U.S. Administration leaders cannot, and that truth is that their proteges will not rule in Kosovo any more than America will rule in Vietnam. It's gone, Mr. Polt, it's over.

Miri
I saw everything that you saw and I looked at it as emotionally as you did but I did not let my heart rule my head because I know that the interest of Great Powers was at the root of what you and I saw on TV screens. Like in many other global crisis the victim was victimized in the propaganda of the aggressors. In 1967 when the Russian army entered Czechoslovakia to end the Prague Spring our Media showed the people in tears while the Russian Media showed the same crowd throwing flowers at the Russian soldiers. I saw an interview conducted by Christiana Amanpour with a Kosovo mother tears flowing with two children in tow during the Crisis that you write about. She asked the woman where is your husband and the woman responded that he was killed by the Serbs. Christiana asked her little boy where his father was and the boy responded, he is with the UCK. Children are taught to tell the truth and only when they see adults fabricating events they feel that it is OK not to tell the truth. Attack on Serbia was an orchestrated campaign of disinformation. Every media outlet in the West became an arm of NATO disinformation. There were some who dared tell it as it was like Alessio Vinci reporting from Belgrade but their reports did not get much airtime. Interviews conducted on TV featured one sided self serving .NATO spokes person who spun the line—Shea, Rubin, Cook, Holbrook, Salona, not to mention the leaders of the major NATO nations, and every one of those leaders has been investigated for corruption and influence pedaling while in office and some after they left their office. The other night while watching CNN Democratic debates (the least trusted name in the news) Mike Gravel looked at Hillary Clinton and some others on the stage and said if you want more of the same elect them and you get a Bush clone. He said follow the money and you will find the same people support Bush as they support Clinton and several other All of us need to heed Gravel’s advice.

For person who remembers high class American diplomats, like Henry Kissinger, Syrus Wans i.e., the most recent comments of mr Polt, represent erosion of US diplomacy. These statements are even under the level of middle class columnists. Mr Polt obviously did not understand his teachers properly. Moreover he does not think of possible consequences of his statements. This is not just lack of education, but rather lack of humanity, as well.

Pandeli:

if you insist: "One of the BDN recordings revealed the transportation of two-million euros from the Swiss Bank based in the city of Visalia, account number 239700-93457-00097, owned by Exhet Boria, which was masked by an offshore account with a code XS52-KOLER to Ahtisaari’s bank account in the Bank of Cyprus, account number 3459346699004533, code VOLANND."

...Bring on the next Serb denegrating generalization without support of real data/proof

Mr. Polt is being very blunt but serb polticions refuse to beleive that US is dead serious , but when all political effort has been used and no result, the US will say enough is enough just like Bush said the time will come and it will be all over.
(Ahmet Isufi, 26. July 2007 11:53)

Polt is now gone. Ahmet, who are you referring to now - bush? Please nobody takes him seriously. No one! The new chap in the UK is contemplating pulling the troops out of the middle east - why - cause it's nonsense & a waste of time, energy, people's children & money.

This is a complete waste of time, effort & energy to have yet another puppet of bush as a representative of the US. Let's see what he really says when he returns....there's always two sides to each coin.

okay so after Kosovo gets independence from Serbia, Texas and California can go back to Mexico, since a big part of the population in Those states is of Mexican desent, and were once a part of Mexico, it only seems fair.

the mine in the north will belong to other investors and none will go to the people those mines have been bought so many times it is not funny and it will remain in the courts to settle owner ship. until then no mining. Since this was suppose to help Kosovo only thing it is going to help is the foreign investors who will fight over it and Kosovo won't see a dime.

Polt, just like the current occupants of the Whitehouse, is an embarrassment to America and represents less than 30% of American society. The general rule for the current American regime is as follows: "If the Bush administration supports it, it's bad." Of course, America has had over 14 years of poor foreign policy leadership. God help us all, if they are the best and brightest they can get.

PANDELI writes “For Gods sake, come to reason and think who US should build an alliance in Balkans with in its best interest!? “Of course not those who caused 4 (FOUR) wars (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo)’ what you say PANDELI is 100% true and what you attempted to say is 100% false. PANDELI continues to write that Albanians are supported by “UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, all NATO members”. The leaders of each one of these countries have been investigated for criminal activity and corruption. Follow the money Pandeli and you will see why your faux pas is very true.

It is incomprehensible and inexcusable of Mr.Polt to be advocating dismemberment of his host country – would he give California to Mexico, just because Mexican immigrants (legal and illegal decide that they want to join Mexico??? Not to mention ethnic cleansing of the Serbs by Albanians and the fact that Kosovo is birthplace of Serbian culture and church.

It is also true that Serbia would be better partner for US and the West compared to independent Kosovo. One has to look at the economic potential, geopolitical position and alliances in the past. However, the truth is Bush does not seem to really care about Kosovo or the region that much. As pointed out Kosovo air war was showcase for NATO around its anniversary and did not go as planned, resulting in UN resolution 1244 that protects Serbia’s integrity. More recently since Bush was portrayed as anti-Islamic, having a pro-Muslim policy somewhere in the world was perceived as a benefit. The Europeans and US wanted to wrap up the Kosovo, but it is important to find most long term viable, just and legal solution. Now is not 1999 anymore, and there is still UN resolution 1244 – which can be overturned only by another UN resolution. The Europeans and US will start realizing that Serbia is their better long term partner.

To H.E.Polt: "The U.S. and its client states will be responsible for delaying the resolution of the Kosovo issue, as well as for incitement of certain number of people of Kosovo for violent actions and separatist movement.

Of course not those who caused 4 (FOUR) wars (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo). No need to be a partner with Bin Laden to be evil. Look who is nowadays against US policy: North Corea, Lybia, Siria, Iran and of course, Serbia. Interesting to see how serbs come to forums and cry about: Why US is helping albanian terrorists. But what about UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, all NATO members etc? Are all them stupid? And only serbs are the brightest people in the world?
(Pandeli, 26. July 2007 18:40)

Here we go again with the 'Axis of Evil', 'You are either with us or against us' crap that is continually spouted by the Bushies and their acolytes.

As for the Serbs causing 4 wars, well let me rejog your memory here. Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia all illgelly seceeded from the SFRJ. What was an internationally recognised, sovereign state of SFRJ supposed to do, nothing. Now what would the US have done if say Hawaii, California and Texas decided to seceed from the USA? Exactly the same as SFRJ tried to do. The actions of the Republics violated the 1974 Constitution and the Helsinki Agreement of 1975 which declared the boundaries of internationally recognised states involuable. Kosovo, well Yugoslav authorities were fighting an insurrection against a nasty, criminal, fascist operative group called the KLA and later used by NATO as there own proxy army. Think of the Contras in Nicaragua and you get the idea. Milosevic's ham fisted responce aggrivated the whole thing and the subsequent NATO bombing provoked chaos on the ground.

Now back to Serbia being in league with the likes of NK, Cuba, Libya, Syria, Iran, Venezuela and every dictator on the planet. What Serbia is doing right now is following its rightful and legal course of action within the confines of inetrnational law enshrined (and ratified by countries like the US) to maintain its territorial integrity and its staus as a viable independent state. What you are saying is that Serbia engaging in this normal behaviour, indeed as any nation state would is automatically in your eyes a terrorist and grouping them in some kind of 'Axis of Evil'. That is some twisted logic and reason you have sir.

Dear teni,

So, finally we have it! Thank you! The K-Albanians have waited for a 100 years (at least), well before Milosevic was even born...Interesting. I appreciate you admitting that this pre-dates the late politician, and that it also includes the periods of WW I and Albanian alliance with, first the Turks, then the Austro-Hungarians, and in WW II the Germans, to whose benefit the K-Albanians formed an SS Division, something to truly be proud of. I'm not ranting, just noting a few facts and agreeing with your admission...etc, etc, etc...

Well what do you expect from a politician. I'm an American of Serbian decent and I respect the ethnic Albanian people. I believe that the problem is with everyone else in the world. Not with Serbia and Kosovo. If everone doesn't agree with something then you don't look for loop-holes, you try to solve it with everyone's aproval. So that should overule a speedy solution to Kosovo. A speedy soultion is a foolish decision and the US and the EU knows this but chooses to ignore it. I also believe that the current condition of the world won't be able to solve this problem. Therefor there needs to be a new system created. What we need is a "unified world nation" that all people in every country is included in. I believe that this will solve most of the problems of the world including health care, economics, and fueding ethnic races. But of course this would be opposed by the private businesses who want to make more money than everyone else. So please think "World Nation" not the 192 members of the UN. This "World Nation" would also include colonies, provinces, and other territorial lands. This plan should suffice for not only Kosovo but the entire world.

"Yes, serbian govt has lost its 'claim' to Kosova, although, I would add, Kosova was NEVER theirs in the first place. As Kosova was a Province of X yugoslavia not serbia. Serbia has never been able to claim Kosova and it still has no right to it now..."

ok, please do tell us which serbian government lost it's claim to kosovo? was it milosevic's or kostunica's? or is it the Nemanjic dynasty from the 12th century?
also, kosovo was and is an autonomous province of serbia.
serbia was a socialist state in the SFRJ. if you have something negative to say about the way things were done in the past or the way they are being done today, at least use facts, not slander and speculation.