"Serbia, Kosovo can only be reunified within EU"

Thats right MR Rupel,

But Kosova not even under EU will be part of any other country. Kosova will be independent country and thats all. And we hope that serbia will be part of russia.

This Rupel should just stick to Slovenian politics as he has no real idea of the situation.

"primarily European issue, as opposed to American or Russian, and that the EU must not let anyone outwith Europe decide on the matter"

- Correct me if I am wrong on my Geography but I thought Russiawas in Europe too! Cleary the US is not apart of Europe what so ever! Why doesn't Rupel say what he really menas a "EU" issue and an "EU" solution - in which case the solution is simple as we all know that the "EU" is about bring borders down not creating artificial ones! I guess the solution is quite simple - "EU" Supervised Autonomy till all of Serbia joins the EU - is that not what Tadic & Kostunica has been telling them all along ? If they cant listen, comprehend and act on it I guess the "EU" and especially the US are purposefully planning to undermine and therfore destroy the UN with 'their' imposed solution - so much for NATO acting in a humanitarian action it becomes all the clearer that their action 8 years ago was thus as quite rightly Kostunica said about imposing their NATO state on Serbian territory in clear breach of all international norms and laws. I dont think Russia or China will stand by idle while the US wreak havoc to international norms and laws as succesive US Govts have been far too destabilising with their short sighted foreign policy (eg Iraq) that they pretend to ignore the inevitable consequences of.

"unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence would not be in the province’s interests.... would not be concerned if this failed to take place during their mandate, but that the decision should not be postponed much longer"

- so now the Slovenes who will be Presiding over the "EU" are making it loud and clear to all concerned who represent less then 45% of the Serbian province's electorate that there can be no unilateral action before July - oh dear this ever extendable deadline has just moved again !!!

I guess we will hear Thaci say he has assurances from his 'masters' (no not the 15% of the Serbian province's electorate who voted for him) that they will co-ordinate things after the summer - sounds familiar? Didn't Ceku say Nov 2006, then Dec, Jan, April, June etc etc.. and each time pretending that he had assurances just like Kosumi before Ceku.

Yes, lets now wait till July 2008 but what then with this ever extendable deadline - ah well I guess Dec 20008!

Official Serbia should not forget official Slovenia's blatantly anti-Serbian stance at this crucial time.

Slovenia will no doubt face demographic, economic and territorial challenges in the future and Serbia should return the favour in full, with interest.

Strav,

Dimitri Rupel is the foreign minister of a former Yugoslav country and knows more about Kosova and the historic circumstances that brought us here than just about any other diplomat from the East or West.

And he is apsolutely right, the only way for Kosova and Serbia to reunify is once both countries join the EU and sovreign states.

If Serbia joins the EU prior to Kosovo, don't all EU countries have VETO power, as is within NATO. And if that's the case, isn't it reasonable to assume that KOSOVO will never join the EU as long as Serbia has VETO power lke everyone else in the club? Or, is Serbia to join the EU with the pre condition that it doesn't have VETO power, which I doubt.

So, an independent Kosovo will NEVER be recognized by the UN, and will be VETOED from joining the EU via Serbia, Greece, Romania, Cyprus and so on...sounds like a disfunctional nightmare...The US nipple will undoubtedly run dry one day...then what?

Beni,

could you tell us when UN SC reolution 1244 will be replaced - even if EUMIK administers the Serbian province it still remains Serbian.

This is a joke. Has any country ever reunified under the EU. What is now the Eu going to force the ex-YU countries to reunify once they join the EU, will they force Czechoslovakia to reunifty.

Rupel knows both sides, and he can give his oppinion which should be considered as an oppinion of an expert on this matter, since he lived on "that" creation called Yougoslavia too. We may like his words or no, but Serbia with suprimation of Kosova authonomy started partitation of ex-Yu which has reached final stage with Kosova's indenpendence. I may agree with some thoughts that ex-Yu had a chance to be the most wealthy part of Balkan , but serbian politics of destructions send those chances in one way road: ''split and go everyone on your own way''.
We'll be waiting for you my dearest neighbors in EU , it's a long way to go for you and don;t let me to wait for you more than 20 years?

"Slovenia assumes the EU presidency on January 1, yet Serbia is still without an ambassador in that country"

Is Serbia still holding to the old grudges? This clearly tells what kind of governing runs nowdays in Serbia.

Its funny to read we actually have ppl beliving Kosova will stay under Serbian borders, even their politicans are aware of the lost, still we have ppl such as Princip trying with his international law, well mr... where was that law under Serbian rule in the 90's? Just as the western states gave Serbia Kosova (1913) they will hand over it 95 years later to the real owners, the ppl of Kosova!

Correction, fractions of Russia and Turkey are part of Europe and Asia therefore the confusion. Russia is not part of EU (neither Turkey) hence at this time they do not have any “veto” rights one EU affairs. However the US & Russia leverage in EU affairs can’t be ignored but some traditional pro-Russian states (France for example) are turning more toward US. I think the independence is not for this year but ultimately that is the only solution in long term for US and EU. Pro-Russian block might not like it but that is the truth. At the end of the day it is not really about Serbs or Albanians it is about geopolitics and western control of Balkans. I said it before, even if some kind of miracle happened and Albanians and Serbs do agree to remain together the west will not allow it by any mean, they will reinvent another Milosevic (there are plenty on Serbia government right now). For god’s sake if you really want to rely on history just remember not so long ago this two nations were allies against ottomans (Skanderbeg was partner with Brankovic).
Inter marriages were common and they knew each others language as well, also shared many folkloric and customs (music, clothing, dance, food). When I say this both sides hate to hear it, folks this is the truth. It is like two enemy brothers

Rupel clearly sees the big picture, it is a great pity that so many Serbs, Albanians and diaspora do not. Slovenia is a very successful small country that can be of great help to Serbia. Most Serbs and indeed Albanians would be shocked to see how well Slovenians live today. If you had had someone like Rupel and not Milosevic running the country, Serbia and Kosovo would today be in the EU.

If serbia joins EU than Kosova should not. Kosova should sign FTA and that's it.

Hey, are you all so sure the EU will even remain in one piece in the coming decades? It is a quarrelsome bunch of 27 who seem to disagree over almost anything -- the constitutional reforms, Turkey's right to membership, Belgium's possible partition (where would there leave Brussels then?) -- seems to me the EU is coming apart at the seams.

Michael said: "The US nipple will undoubtedly run dry one day...then what?"

- That "then" is called: Armagedon. Until then...well, lets say...enjoy the ride!

"
could you tell us when UN SC reolution 1244 will be replaced - even if EUMIK administers the Serbian province it still remains Serbian.
(Princip, UK, 27 November 2007 17:00)"

Princip that's the whole plan, for Kosova to be governed independently and have no connection with Belgrade whatsoever, and for Serbia to claim the Kosova is part of Serbia. That way we as Albanian do not really care what you claim as long as you don't try to do something stupid such as starting another war. On the other hand Serbia will keep claiming Kosova is Serbian yet it will not have any power whatsoever over it.
When either Serbia or Kosova is about to join the EU, then the EU will call on the two sides and continue with this same solution even within the EU.

I'm afraid that, Slovenia will eventually lose it's identity in the "big picture".

Sprechen sie Deutsch, Mr. Rupel??

My guess is Albanians will proclaim independence, following instant recognition by USA, 25 European countries, leaving out only Greece and the lesser known Cyprus.
Serbia on the other hand will have to wait for the entry into EU until it "resolves" it's political problems.

This is a very complex matter, I wish that people would acknowledge this as it is instead of trying to make it black and white. Serbia has the right to defend itself and is a sovereign nation, the question of Kosovo(a) has to be resolved bilaterally. Serbia has to be happy with the final decision. Kosovo was missmanaged under the MIlosevic regime, but this does not give the albanians the right to claim Kosovo as their own. OR Either Kosovo stays as a part of Serbia, or it goes completely, I think that Kosovo should be split like bosnia was, except this time, Serbia needs to built a Great Wall like China to keep the Albanian invasion at bay. I blame the X Yugoslav government for allowing such great numbers of illegal immigrants into Serbia(Kosovo), now it's time to pay the price I guess. Just my honest opinion. I don't think that serbs in kosovo would ever have the same liberty as Albanians had in Kosovo(SERBIA). Time will tell!

Kosovo was missmanaged under the MIlosevic regime, but this does not give the albanians the right to claim Kosovo as their own

sasha,
serbs, albanians, greeks, etc all had the "right" to secede from the ottoman empire and, in my opinion, the former yugoslavia was just a smaller version with just as much corruption. good riddance to both!

Sasha wrote

>

I believe Serbs in Serbia will never have the same liberties as Serbs in Kosovo. Serbs in Kosovo don't have to pay for electricity, do not have to pay for any taxes, their homes are built for free etc. And no Serb has been atacked in Kosovo for a very long time. If Kosovo Serbs were to be atacked in Serbia it would definitely miss the headlines.

Its funny to read we actually have ppl beliving Kosova will stay under Serbian borders, even their politicans are aware of the lost, still we have ppl such as Princip trying with his international law, well mr... where was that law under Serbian rule in the 90's? Just as the western states gave Serbia Kosova (1913) they will hand over it 95 years later to the real owners, the ppl of Kosova!

Strav,

Dimitri Rupel is the foreign minister of a former Yugoslav country and knows more about Kosova and the historic circumstances that brought us here than just about any other diplomat from the East or West.

And he is apsolutely right, the only way for Kosova and Serbia to reunify is once both countries join the EU and sovreign states.

Thats right MR Rupel,

But Kosova not even under EU will be part of any other country. Kosova will be independent country and thats all. And we hope that serbia will be part of russia.

Rupel knows both sides, and he can give his oppinion which should be considered as an oppinion of an expert on this matter, since he lived on "that" creation called Yougoslavia too. We may like his words or no, but Serbia with suprimation of Kosova authonomy started partitation of ex-Yu which has reached final stage with Kosova's indenpendence. I may agree with some thoughts that ex-Yu had a chance to be the most wealthy part of Balkan , but serbian politics of destructions send those chances in one way road: ''split and go everyone on your own way''.
We'll be waiting for you my dearest neighbors in EU , it's a long way to go for you and don;t let me to wait for you more than 20 years?

"Slovenia assumes the EU presidency on January 1, yet Serbia is still without an ambassador in that country"

Is Serbia still holding to the old grudges? This clearly tells what kind of governing runs nowdays in Serbia.

Rupel clearly sees the big picture, it is a great pity that so many Serbs, Albanians and diaspora do not. Slovenia is a very successful small country that can be of great help to Serbia. Most Serbs and indeed Albanians would be shocked to see how well Slovenians live today. If you had had someone like Rupel and not Milosevic running the country, Serbia and Kosovo would today be in the EU.

If serbia joins EU than Kosova should not. Kosova should sign FTA and that's it.

This Rupel should just stick to Slovenian politics as he has no real idea of the situation.

Correction, fractions of Russia and Turkey are part of Europe and Asia therefore the confusion. Russia is not part of EU (neither Turkey) hence at this time they do not have any “veto” rights one EU affairs. However the US & Russia leverage in EU affairs can’t be ignored but some traditional pro-Russian states (France for example) are turning more toward US. I think the independence is not for this year but ultimately that is the only solution in long term for US and EU. Pro-Russian block might not like it but that is the truth. At the end of the day it is not really about Serbs or Albanians it is about geopolitics and western control of Balkans. I said it before, even if some kind of miracle happened and Albanians and Serbs do agree to remain together the west will not allow it by any mean, they will reinvent another Milosevic (there are plenty on Serbia government right now). For god’s sake if you really want to rely on history just remember not so long ago this two nations were allies against ottomans (Skanderbeg was partner with Brankovic).
Inter marriages were common and they knew each others language as well, also shared many folkloric and customs (music, clothing, dance, food). When I say this both sides hate to hear it, folks this is the truth. It is like two enemy brothers

"primarily European issue, as opposed to American or Russian, and that the EU must not let anyone outwith Europe decide on the matter"

- Correct me if I am wrong on my Geography but I thought Russiawas in Europe too! Cleary the US is not apart of Europe what so ever! Why doesn't Rupel say what he really menas a "EU" issue and an "EU" solution - in which case the solution is simple as we all know that the "EU" is about bring borders down not creating artificial ones! I guess the solution is quite simple - "EU" Supervised Autonomy till all of Serbia joins the EU - is that not what Tadic & Kostunica has been telling them all along ? If they cant listen, comprehend and act on it I guess the "EU" and especially the US are purposefully planning to undermine and therfore destroy the UN with 'their' imposed solution - so much for NATO acting in a humanitarian action it becomes all the clearer that their action 8 years ago was thus as quite rightly Kostunica said about imposing their NATO state on Serbian territory in clear breach of all international norms and laws. I dont think Russia or China will stand by idle while the US wreak havoc to international norms and laws as succesive US Govts have been far too destabilising with their short sighted foreign policy (eg Iraq) that they pretend to ignore the inevitable consequences of.

"unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence would not be in the province’s interests.... would not be concerned if this failed to take place during their mandate, but that the decision should not be postponed much longer"

- so now the Slovenes who will be Presiding over the "EU" are making it loud and clear to all concerned who represent less then 45% of the Serbian province's electorate that there can be no unilateral action before July - oh dear this ever extendable deadline has just moved again !!!

I guess we will hear Thaci say he has assurances from his 'masters' (no not the 15% of the Serbian province's electorate who voted for him) that they will co-ordinate things after the summer - sounds familiar? Didn't Ceku say Nov 2006, then Dec, Jan, April, June etc etc.. and each time pretending that he had assurances just like Kosumi before Ceku.

Yes, lets now wait till July 2008 but what then with this ever extendable deadline - ah well I guess Dec 20008!

If Serbia joins the EU prior to Kosovo, don't all EU countries have VETO power, as is within NATO. And if that's the case, isn't it reasonable to assume that KOSOVO will never join the EU as long as Serbia has VETO power lke everyone else in the club? Or, is Serbia to join the EU with the pre condition that it doesn't have VETO power, which I doubt.

So, an independent Kosovo will NEVER be recognized by the UN, and will be VETOED from joining the EU via Serbia, Greece, Romania, Cyprus and so on...sounds like a disfunctional nightmare...The US nipple will undoubtedly run dry one day...then what?

Official Serbia should not forget official Slovenia's blatantly anti-Serbian stance at this crucial time.

Slovenia will no doubt face demographic, economic and territorial challenges in the future and Serbia should return the favour in full, with interest.

Beni,

could you tell us when UN SC reolution 1244 will be replaced - even if EUMIK administers the Serbian province it still remains Serbian.

This is a joke. Has any country ever reunified under the EU. What is now the Eu going to force the ex-YU countries to reunify once they join the EU, will they force Czechoslovakia to reunifty.

Michael said: "The US nipple will undoubtedly run dry one day...then what?"

- That "then" is called: Armagedon. Until then...well, lets say...enjoy the ride!

"
could you tell us when UN SC reolution 1244 will be replaced - even if EUMIK administers the Serbian province it still remains Serbian.
(Princip, UK, 27 November 2007 17:00)"

Princip that's the whole plan, for Kosova to be governed independently and have no connection with Belgrade whatsoever, and for Serbia to claim the Kosova is part of Serbia. That way we as Albanian do not really care what you claim as long as you don't try to do something stupid such as starting another war. On the other hand Serbia will keep claiming Kosova is Serbian yet it will not have any power whatsoever over it.
When either Serbia or Kosova is about to join the EU, then the EU will call on the two sides and continue with this same solution even within the EU.

I'm afraid that, Slovenia will eventually lose it's identity in the "big picture".

Sprechen sie Deutsch, Mr. Rupel??

Hey, are you all so sure the EU will even remain in one piece in the coming decades? It is a quarrelsome bunch of 27 who seem to disagree over almost anything -- the constitutional reforms, Turkey's right to membership, Belgium's possible partition (where would there leave Brussels then?) -- seems to me the EU is coming apart at the seams.

My guess is Albanians will proclaim independence, following instant recognition by USA, 25 European countries, leaving out only Greece and the lesser known Cyprus.
Serbia on the other hand will have to wait for the entry into EU until it "resolves" it's political problems.

This is a very complex matter, I wish that people would acknowledge this as it is instead of trying to make it black and white. Serbia has the right to defend itself and is a sovereign nation, the question of Kosovo(a) has to be resolved bilaterally. Serbia has to be happy with the final decision. Kosovo was missmanaged under the MIlosevic regime, but this does not give the albanians the right to claim Kosovo as their own. OR Either Kosovo stays as a part of Serbia, or it goes completely, I think that Kosovo should be split like bosnia was, except this time, Serbia needs to built a Great Wall like China to keep the Albanian invasion at bay. I blame the X Yugoslav government for allowing such great numbers of illegal immigrants into Serbia(Kosovo), now it's time to pay the price I guess. Just my honest opinion. I don't think that serbs in kosovo would ever have the same liberty as Albanians had in Kosovo(SERBIA). Time will tell!

Kosovo was missmanaged under the MIlosevic regime, but this does not give the albanians the right to claim Kosovo as their own

sasha,
serbs, albanians, greeks, etc all had the "right" to secede from the ottoman empire and, in my opinion, the former yugoslavia was just a smaller version with just as much corruption. good riddance to both!

Sasha wrote

>

I believe Serbs in Serbia will never have the same liberties as Serbs in Kosovo. Serbs in Kosovo don't have to pay for electricity, do not have to pay for any taxes, their homes are built for free etc. And no Serb has been atacked in Kosovo for a very long time. If Kosovo Serbs were to be atacked in Serbia it would definitely miss the headlines.