"Kosovo independence date already set"

Poo Limaj, poor Suroi, they still believe in some imaginary dates for independence. Now they already know the date but since it is a secret it cannot be revealed in public. Their desperate statements each day look like hide and sick game. But lets see what kind of independence that woud be.

However, this news is partial since does not include the statements of Macedonian representatives who stated that Ahtisari's plan is the best for Kosovo, and I wonder what they will say when Albanians in Macedonia ask for independence? Maybe Serbia can actually recomend reviving of Ahtisari's plan and final implementation of this plan in Macedonia.

Date set? yea...sometime in the year 2000000.

If Kosovo's Albanians declare illegal Independence then the Macedonians will have the same fate happen to them less than a year later, especially after the Serbian Bosnians do the same.

The Macedonian government is politically weak and has no chance of surveying what Serbia is going through with Kosovo, their sad country will be reduced in size smaller than most major US cities, of all the countries in this region they should be the most concerned about what happens in Kosovo. If they continue on the path they are going their relationship with Serbia will be so strained that it will take years to repair which is certainly not to their benefit, at the end of the day relationships between neighborers is far more important then all other relationships.

The last I heard was that the date should be 11th december.... Maybe next year? But it really doesn't matter, in illegal declaration doesn't hold any validity anyway

I love to read when Albanian politicians blow their own trumpet. Wishful thinking does not change harsh reality.

What "their Western friends" did not tell them is that EU is not united, 5 out of 27 EU voices are against it and there is no recognition in UN.

Individual countries recognizing Kosovo mean nothing. "Kosova" could only be phantom entity on Serbian soil.

As of Being American friend, Kosovo Albanians better read history. As Dr. Kissinger summed it up, being an Ameirican enemy is dangerous, being an American friend is fatal.

These guys might know the date but I'm sure they're missing the year! What are they talking now? 2018?

Well i can only hope that Macedonia recieves the same fate as Serbia...how shamefull of them!!! CCCC

what do they fear...why don´t the declare it ...? =)

yeah...

let´s see what their "friends" will tell them...

These "leaders" are doing the same thing & expecting different results. This is not going to happen - if it was meant to be, there wouldn't be a need for these commentaries or articles.

KosovO was a part of the republic of Serbia when Yugoslavia was still a country - anything to deviate from that well documented (& known fact) is pure hogwash!

Settlement of the situation in Kosovo would be good for the whole region, but only if it's a good settlement. It's not really a settlement if only one side's considerations are taken into account.

As things stand now, I don't see any reason for Serbia to sign off on the deal as they have nothing significant to gain, and much more to lose.

Floirun said >> Albania is midway through constructing a superhighway which will link Kosovo to the Adriatic in three hours time.

Where did you hear that, in a Pristina café? WOW what a fantasy! This high my dear friend has not started nor will it start any time soon because it cost more than the whole net worth of Albania! Its simply to expensive. All they have done about it so far is talk!

this is easier said than done. many occasions have passed where our albanian friends say they will declare but nothing happened. there was bush visit to tirana in june. there was the G8. then visit of UN ambassadors to kosovo. the dec 10 troika. the dec 19 UN debate. now comes another one of the long series of dates. i again bet that nothing will happen either in march 7 may or june 2008. this is a never ending story as i always told.

Declaire at will you'll only be at the same point you were for the past 8 years. Minus power & North Kosovo.

The historical TIME IS COMING FAST. The date is aproaching.
The Freedom Lovers of the Balkans have been waiting for so long for this historical day, and now finally it is HERE.
Some people will not like this and this historical event will hit them hard, but this is the only way to move forward.
At war, there are two kinds of people, some loose and some win. There is no agreement that will make both happy.

And in the case of a Serbian "blockade", trade through Macedonia and Albania will flourish, thus only hurting Serbian exporters. Albania is midway through constructing a superhighway which will link Kosova to the Adriatic in three hours time. the port of Shengjin in Albania will be designated exclusively for Kosova's use. All the Kosovars have to do now is declare independence & leave the memories of Serbia in the dust.

Resolution 1244 does not authorize the EU to unilaterally deploy a mission to Kosovo. Kosovo already has a Civilian mission called Unmik regulated by the Security Counsel as authorized by Article 19. of Res. 1244. The EU could seek authorization from the UN, but there you run into Russia and China. So they would have to acknowledge all the legal requirements of Res. 1244, including the "full account" of the "principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia as Recognized Successor State)" as enumerated in annex 1 and annex 2. Therefore when the UN is forced to annul any illegal unilateral declaration by the Provisional Government in Pristina, the EU will be forced to abide by that annulment. So you would be back to square one.Unless of course they become occupiers of Sovereign Serbian Territory. The EU will not allow themselves this legal folly. The EU is a beast of legalism. They spell out everything, just look at the 2006 consolidated version of the European Union Treaty in Chapter 5 of Annex 1 they regulate

"05.04 Guts, bladders and stomachs of animals (other than fish), whole and pieces
thereof
05.15 Animal products not elsewhere specified or included; dead animals of Chapter
1 or Chapter 3, unfit for human consumption".

The point is the Europeans regulate everything to the minute detail. There cannot be any ambiguity, Right now this whole EU mission is awash in a sea of ambiguity. It takes all 27 members to either agree or least not object. If one member says NO, the whole mission falls apart. Cyprus has already expressed disapproval of this folly, as well as Slovakia and Romania. So this is far from a done deal.

Coincidentally, can someone tell me what the Unilateral recognition by a few Western countries of a Illegal (outside the Security Counsel and UN Charter) Unilateral Declaration of a coordinated "Supervised Independence" means. Are they recognizing the supervised part or the independence part? How long will the supervised part take? What kind of status is this? In Ahtisaari's Plan it was conditioned on the return of refuges and their integration into society, and yes silly me the establishment of the RULE of LAW. How long is it going to take to return the 40,000 ethnically cleansed Serbs to their Pristina Homes and integrate them into society? There isn't a single Serb citizen living in the capital today. How can any territory profess readiness for independence when they cannot secure safety for 40,000 citizen in its own capital? How about the rest of the 2500,000 ethnically cleansed SERB and ROMA citizens? They are citizens right? They can't all be war criminals?The Legalistic Europeans would certainly not want to deny them their rights. Recently, the Hague ruled that the Srebranica Victims could sue the Dutch and the UN for their failure. I am certain that the EU would not want to be liable for not allowing the 250,000 ethnically cleansed citizens of Kosovo, all under the watchful eye of NATO, to return to their rightful homes. What about the remaining Serbs and Roma, is NATO going to use force as peacekeepers to force them to accept this illegal succession? How Long will the supervised part take? Will there then be another whole series of recognitions of the Independence part after supervision ends? Will the supervised part ever end? Will the KLA drive NATO out then? There are many pitfalls to a Non Negotiated settlement.

Similarly, Unilateral Declaration of a coordinated "Supervised Independence" will not resole the sovereignty question, when it comes to direct foreign investment. Sure the US and the EU will provide some funds and I am sure they will secure you hefty loans, but they won't be able to convince any large corporations, to take a chance, that nobody will show up to court, holding a deed, wanting restitution for stolen property. How Long will the the Supervised part take? I know that many of you in Kosovo are suffering very much on both sides, I am sorry for your suffering, but my cynicism is not directed at you, but rather at the cavalier attitude that your leaders have exhibited throughout the negotiating process. Res.. 1244 was and is the only valid, legal document and no matter how you massage it, twist it, flip it you get back to Serbian Sovereignty. But there wont be any final status until there is a Negotiated Settlement between the Parties within the framework of Res. 1244 and in the UN Security Counsel. You wont be recognized by the UN. A few European nations wills recognize your "supervised independence". The EU will supervise your Special Status, but will not be able to accept you into its ranks because of sovereignty questions. Will Serbia by then be a member of the EU?

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) deputy leader Limaj said that the date had been set, but that it was being kept secret because this had been agreed on with "our Western friends."

There is no date (and there will be no one needed) and there are no Western friends (just Western users who like to take advantage of your naive thoughts and world view). In addition, as long as Kosovo is not a democratic province (it has been a province for a long time, but it became non-democratic eight years ago) of The Replublic of Serbia it should not even have a party with democratic in it. We do not care what Albania and The Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia think. Maybe you can ask Santa Claus for a new dream.

"It is your land so go take it back" Marko.

Marko, I agree 100% with you on that issue! Serbia should obtain Russian military backing and secure Kosovo, it is Serbian land legally, culturally and historically. If Serbia does not have the stomach to fight for their land and people then they should just let it go and give up, join other countries and forget about and independent homeland!
Some Serbs are saying that NATO will protect Serbs from attacks and keep the Albanians in check. This delusion can be broken by the hard reality on the ground and NATO'S record the last 8+ years.

I guess they have made it clear, I don't think there's anything you can add to this. I mean you can add, but you're just going to waste time. . .anyway, merry x-mass and happy new year.

Lets see who is getting fooled here, we or the serbs?

The whole idea behind keeping something secret is just that, keepit secret, not just the date, the entire process.

Typical though for this "government".

me as a Kosovar Albanian i just dont belive anything they say
all these so called POLITICANS
are after one thing and thats beeing in power
shame on them all

Srboslav: "Yeah, sure Florin, Ferry to Italy is the closest way for Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija to go to Austria and Germany, right?"

That's one way. Another one is through Montenegro then Croatia through the Adriatic-Ionian highway that stretches from Trieste to Kalamata in Greece:
http://www.geocities.com/nikola-jelovac/Adriatic-ionian-Highway.jpg
http://www.ref-see.org/pdf/Radimir%20Cacic.pdf

The point is if Serbia closes the borders, there will be other ways to get to Western Europe.


Canadian: "Where did you hear that, in a Pristina café? WOW what a fantasy! This high my dear friend has not started nor will it start any time soon because it cost more than the whole net worth of Albania!"

Canadian here are some pictures of the works in the Durres-Kukes highway.
Kalimash tunnel (6 km long - the longest in the Balkans)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2101/2109839975_095edd6c47_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2110617190_b9a35780bc_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2343/2109839923_cd5c522702_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2196/2109839849_a636df820b_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2204/2109839817_2bb9260d11_o.jpg
http://i18.tinypic.com/4lz68i1.jpg
http://i11.tinypic.com/53fhg1z.jpg
http://www.tiranaobserver.com.al/20070206/Foto/lajm1.jpg

Other parts of the highway
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8889/dscn0687mw3.jpg
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8549/dscn0689hf8.jpg
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/9569/dscn0705fb2.jpg
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/744/dscn0702ja4.jpg
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4918/dkc16ne.jpg
http://www.mpptt.gov.al/images/calimash_image.jpg
http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/8044/file3nn8.jpg
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/6551/2hw2.jpg
http://i15.tinypic.com/4fyjlg3.jpg
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/8073/a12hp.jpg
http://i19.tinypic.com/630a90k.jpg
http://i11.tinypic.com/5ymflev.jpg

Not the 1st of April again I hope.

When Hasim Thaci will annoucnce this then i will believe it. I don't beleive anything that fatmir and veton says. When hasim will speak then i will listen. those two clowns are only trying a power move to secure more political power

Yeah, sure Florin, Ferry to Italy is the closest way for Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija to go to Austria and Germany, right?

Guys, patience, please!!!
It will happen. Now, even Russia is not opposed to EU Mission in Kosova/o.
This is the latest. (Lavrov).

I don't know the exact day of indenpendance, and I don't think that's that important, it's just another day and life will go on. Day after will be interesting to see what course will take everybodies life.

why i am not supprised?

Out of all Surroi has been a huge disapointment. I've lost all respect for this man.

@Canadian
Associated Press or from "Pristina café"
Published: October 6, 2006

TIRANA, Albania Albania on Friday signed a €418 million (US$531 million) contract with a U.S.-Turkish joint venture to build a four-lane stretch of highway that will shorten the route to neighboring Kosovo, in the biggest ever infrastructure project in the tiny Balkan country.

Bechtel International Inc., based in San Francisco, and Enka, based in Istanbul, Turkey, will build the 57-kilometer (35.4-miles) road segment, including a 6-kilometer (nearly 4-mile) tunnel, starting this month until June 2009.

The funding will come from the Albanian government and other international institutions and banks, according to transport ministry officials. They did not give details on the names of the companies or on loan terms.

Kosovo, a U.N.-run province in Serbia, is important to Albania because most of the tourists visiting the western Balkan country are ethnic Albanians from Kosovo or Macedonia as well as expatriate Albanians returning from other parts of Europe.

The portion of the highway being built by Bechtel is part of a 170-kilometer (105-mile) highway to Kosovo.

The completed highway will run from the port city of Durres — 35 kilometers (20 miles) west of the capital Tirana — to the town of Kukes, 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Tirana, and then to the Morina border crossing point.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha, whose government made the highway a priority, said it would serve to link Albania with Kosovo, Serbia and central Europe, and that region with western Europe through the port of Durres. He added that the road would also help fight poverty in Albania's poorest northeastern area which it crosses.

Albania, one of Europe's poorest countries, has hopes of one day joining the European Union and NATO.

The new road will be about 45 kilometers (nearly 30 miles) shorter than existing roads and will shorten the travel time — which can now take up to six hours — to two hours.

The current road, which has only two lanes, is full of potholes and winding turns, making it virtually impossible to drive at average speeds above 40 kph (25 mph).
ALB-MCSE

It is possible that that proclamation of independence may come rather soon. I wouldn't question that. But there is one very important detail that is in the end - much more important then declaration of independence...
That question is: in given circumstances, how long will that self-proclaimed independence last? And circumstances are very complex indeed - far more complex then KLA leaders are willing to admit. In Serbia there is a saying - who flyies high, falls low...
Reality is that main protagonist (undoubtedly) of would-be independence, US is very busy in Iraq and Afganistan - and it can become busier still in years to come - so Kosovo (in fact KLA) leaders can't count to be US "priority" for few more years. And other reality is that Kosovo is tied with resources to Serbia... So can this would-be make-believe independence (more a dream then a reality) last for even ten years? In ten years we will have in US most probably radically different administration as the next Clinton is the only (and last) hope for continuation of the "dream" of independence. After that US will most likely turn to more realistic approach to the world, and Kosovo dreams will not count much any more.
Here is an article in U.S. Politics Today, by Tracy Dove, Ph.D, who addresses some of these questions.
link: http://uspolitics.einnews.com/article.php?nid=389845

You can determine the quality of the albanian leadership from this headline alone.

KS, you probably didn't have respect for him to begin with. He's the last politican to lose respect for.

Look at all the Serbs so angry at there Macedonian 'brothers', maybe if your Ministers don't constantly refer to Macedonia as FYROM just to please your Greek brothers who by the way will pull through for you guys just like the unanimous NATO bombing in 1999, and your Serbian government funding the all-mighty Zoran Vranishkovski..you are who you are, used and abused cause you can't tell your head from your you know what.
And don't cry so much about Kosovo cause you remind me of Albanians now..it is your land so go take it back and as far as Macedonia is concerned well the UCK do keep sprouting out occasionally and for the time being the West is letting us execute that threat, things might change but one thing we won't do is cry.
You cry when Albanians destroy your churches and then negate the Macedonian church all together..

and why do you think we have built an airport in kukes?

Poor FYROM, I'm not angry at them, they are in a desperate position, with a gun pointed at their head. They can't do anything, have to do what ever imperial masters demand, otherwise, Albanians will be sat loose at them again, as a couple of years ago… So, they are obeying and hoping for the best. But it will not work though, and I'm not happy because of that. I'm aware of deep historical issues that they have with a Serbia and Greece, but Albanians are and will be much bigger threat in the future. Some kind of reapproachment with a Ortodox neighbors will be necessary. Aside from the quarrels, there are quite a few common interests which they share with each other.

As an albanian I just dont belive the albanian side anymore. they have pushed the independence day many times now. latest I heard that they are going declare it in fabruary. and what are they going to say then. "No we wait until the summer comes because It´s to cold now." we need stronger leeders that can put pressure on the western countrys. kurti was right when he said we need to radicalisize kosovo or nothing will happen.
//albanian from sweden

The historical TIME IS COMING FAST. The date is aproaching.
The Freedom Lovers of the Balkans have been waiting for so long for this historical day, and now finally it is HERE.
Some people will not like this and this historical event will hit them hard, but this is the only way to move forward.
At war, there are two kinds of people, some loose and some win. There is no agreement that will make both happy.

And in the case of a Serbian "blockade", trade through Macedonia and Albania will flourish, thus only hurting Serbian exporters. Albania is midway through constructing a superhighway which will link Kosova to the Adriatic in three hours time. the port of Shengjin in Albania will be designated exclusively for Kosova's use. All the Kosovars have to do now is declare independence & leave the memories of Serbia in the dust.

I guess they have made it clear, I don't think there's anything you can add to this. I mean you can add, but you're just going to waste time. . .anyway, merry x-mass and happy new year.

why i am not supprised?

Lets see who is getting fooled here, we or the serbs?

Guys, patience, please!!!
It will happen. Now, even Russia is not opposed to EU Mission in Kosova/o.
This is the latest. (Lavrov).

Srboslav: "Yeah, sure Florin, Ferry to Italy is the closest way for Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija to go to Austria and Germany, right?"

That's one way. Another one is through Montenegro then Croatia through the Adriatic-Ionian highway that stretches from Trieste to Kalamata in Greece:
http://www.geocities.com/nikola-jelovac/Adriatic-ionian-Highway.jpg
http://www.ref-see.org/pdf/Radimir%20Cacic.pdf

The point is if Serbia closes the borders, there will be other ways to get to Western Europe.


Canadian: "Where did you hear that, in a Pristina café? WOW what a fantasy! This high my dear friend has not started nor will it start any time soon because it cost more than the whole net worth of Albania!"

Canadian here are some pictures of the works in the Durres-Kukes highway.
Kalimash tunnel (6 km long - the longest in the Balkans)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2101/2109839975_095edd6c47_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2110617190_b9a35780bc_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2343/2109839923_cd5c522702_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2196/2109839849_a636df820b_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2204/2109839817_2bb9260d11_o.jpg
http://i18.tinypic.com/4lz68i1.jpg
http://i11.tinypic.com/53fhg1z.jpg
http://www.tiranaobserver.com.al/20070206/Foto/lajm1.jpg

Other parts of the highway
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8889/dscn0687mw3.jpg
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8549/dscn0689hf8.jpg
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/9569/dscn0705fb2.jpg
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/744/dscn0702ja4.jpg
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4918/dkc16ne.jpg
http://www.mpptt.gov.al/images/calimash_image.jpg
http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/8044/file3nn8.jpg
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/6551/2hw2.jpg
http://i15.tinypic.com/4fyjlg3.jpg
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/8073/a12hp.jpg
http://i19.tinypic.com/630a90k.jpg
http://i11.tinypic.com/5ymflev.jpg

Look at all the Serbs so angry at there Macedonian 'brothers', maybe if your Ministers don't constantly refer to Macedonia as FYROM just to please your Greek brothers who by the way will pull through for you guys just like the unanimous NATO bombing in 1999, and your Serbian government funding the all-mighty Zoran Vranishkovski..you are who you are, used and abused cause you can't tell your head from your you know what.
And don't cry so much about Kosovo cause you remind me of Albanians now..it is your land so go take it back and as far as Macedonia is concerned well the UCK do keep sprouting out occasionally and for the time being the West is letting us execute that threat, things might change but one thing we won't do is cry.
You cry when Albanians destroy your churches and then negate the Macedonian church all together..

Poo Limaj, poor Suroi, they still believe in some imaginary dates for independence. Now they already know the date but since it is a secret it cannot be revealed in public. Their desperate statements each day look like hide and sick game. But lets see what kind of independence that woud be.

However, this news is partial since does not include the statements of Macedonian representatives who stated that Ahtisari's plan is the best for Kosovo, and I wonder what they will say when Albanians in Macedonia ask for independence? Maybe Serbia can actually recomend reviving of Ahtisari's plan and final implementation of this plan in Macedonia.

These guys might know the date but I'm sure they're missing the year! What are they talking now? 2018?

Well i can only hope that Macedonia recieves the same fate as Serbia...how shamefull of them!!! CCCC

Not the 1st of April again I hope.

this is easier said than done. many occasions have passed where our albanian friends say they will declare but nothing happened. there was bush visit to tirana in june. there was the G8. then visit of UN ambassadors to kosovo. the dec 10 troika. the dec 19 UN debate. now comes another one of the long series of dates. i again bet that nothing will happen either in march 7 may or june 2008. this is a never ending story as i always told.

When Hasim Thaci will annoucnce this then i will believe it. I don't beleive anything that fatmir and veton says. When hasim will speak then i will listen. those two clowns are only trying a power move to secure more political power

Out of all Surroi has been a huge disapointment. I've lost all respect for this man.

what do they fear...why don´t the declare it ...? =)

yeah...

let´s see what their "friends" will tell them...

@Canadian
Associated Press or from "Pristina café"
Published: October 6, 2006

TIRANA, Albania Albania on Friday signed a €418 million (US$531 million) contract with a U.S.-Turkish joint venture to build a four-lane stretch of highway that will shorten the route to neighboring Kosovo, in the biggest ever infrastructure project in the tiny Balkan country.

Bechtel International Inc., based in San Francisco, and Enka, based in Istanbul, Turkey, will build the 57-kilometer (35.4-miles) road segment, including a 6-kilometer (nearly 4-mile) tunnel, starting this month until June 2009.

The funding will come from the Albanian government and other international institutions and banks, according to transport ministry officials. They did not give details on the names of the companies or on loan terms.

Kosovo, a U.N.-run province in Serbia, is important to Albania because most of the tourists visiting the western Balkan country are ethnic Albanians from Kosovo or Macedonia as well as expatriate Albanians returning from other parts of Europe.

The portion of the highway being built by Bechtel is part of a 170-kilometer (105-mile) highway to Kosovo.

The completed highway will run from the port city of Durres — 35 kilometers (20 miles) west of the capital Tirana — to the town of Kukes, 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Tirana, and then to the Morina border crossing point.

Prime Minister Sali Berisha, whose government made the highway a priority, said it would serve to link Albania with Kosovo, Serbia and central Europe, and that region with western Europe through the port of Durres. He added that the road would also help fight poverty in Albania's poorest northeastern area which it crosses.

Albania, one of Europe's poorest countries, has hopes of one day joining the European Union and NATO.

The new road will be about 45 kilometers (nearly 30 miles) shorter than existing roads and will shorten the travel time — which can now take up to six hours — to two hours.

The current road, which has only two lanes, is full of potholes and winding turns, making it virtually impossible to drive at average speeds above 40 kph (25 mph).
ALB-MCSE

It is possible that that proclamation of independence may come rather soon. I wouldn't question that. But there is one very important detail that is in the end - much more important then declaration of independence...
That question is: in given circumstances, how long will that self-proclaimed independence last? And circumstances are very complex indeed - far more complex then KLA leaders are willing to admit. In Serbia there is a saying - who flyies high, falls low...
Reality is that main protagonist (undoubtedly) of would-be independence, US is very busy in Iraq and Afganistan - and it can become busier still in years to come - so Kosovo (in fact KLA) leaders can't count to be US "priority" for few more years. And other reality is that Kosovo is tied with resources to Serbia... So can this would-be make-believe independence (more a dream then a reality) last for even ten years? In ten years we will have in US most probably radically different administration as the next Clinton is the only (and last) hope for continuation of the "dream" of independence. After that US will most likely turn to more realistic approach to the world, and Kosovo dreams will not count much any more.
Here is an article in U.S. Politics Today, by Tracy Dove, Ph.D, who addresses some of these questions.
link: http://uspolitics.einnews.com/article.php?nid=389845

You can determine the quality of the albanian leadership from this headline alone.

and why do you think we have built an airport in kukes?

As an albanian I just dont belive the albanian side anymore. they have pushed the independence day many times now. latest I heard that they are going declare it in fabruary. and what are they going to say then. "No we wait until the summer comes because It´s to cold now." we need stronger leeders that can put pressure on the western countrys. kurti was right when he said we need to radicalisize kosovo or nothing will happen.
//albanian from sweden

"It is your land so go take it back" Marko.

Marko, I agree 100% with you on that issue! Serbia should obtain Russian military backing and secure Kosovo, it is Serbian land legally, culturally and historically. If Serbia does not have the stomach to fight for their land and people then they should just let it go and give up, join other countries and forget about and independent homeland!
Some Serbs are saying that NATO will protect Serbs from attacks and keep the Albanians in check. This delusion can be broken by the hard reality on the ground and NATO'S record the last 8+ years.

Poor FYROM, I'm not angry at them, they are in a desperate position, with a gun pointed at their head. They can't do anything, have to do what ever imperial masters demand, otherwise, Albanians will be sat loose at them again, as a couple of years ago… So, they are obeying and hoping for the best. But it will not work though, and I'm not happy because of that. I'm aware of deep historical issues that they have with a Serbia and Greece, but Albanians are and will be much bigger threat in the future. Some kind of reapproachment with a Ortodox neighbors will be necessary. Aside from the quarrels, there are quite a few common interests which they share with each other.

I don't know the exact day of indenpendance, and I don't think that's that important, it's just another day and life will go on. Day after will be interesting to see what course will take everybodies life.

Date set? yea...sometime in the year 2000000.

The whole idea behind keeping something secret is just that, keepit secret, not just the date, the entire process.

Typical though for this "government".

The last I heard was that the date should be 11th december.... Maybe next year? But it really doesn't matter, in illegal declaration doesn't hold any validity anyway

I love to read when Albanian politicians blow their own trumpet. Wishful thinking does not change harsh reality.

What "their Western friends" did not tell them is that EU is not united, 5 out of 27 EU voices are against it and there is no recognition in UN.

Individual countries recognizing Kosovo mean nothing. "Kosova" could only be phantom entity on Serbian soil.

As of Being American friend, Kosovo Albanians better read history. As Dr. Kissinger summed it up, being an Ameirican enemy is dangerous, being an American friend is fatal.

If Kosovo's Albanians declare illegal Independence then the Macedonians will have the same fate happen to them less than a year later, especially after the Serbian Bosnians do the same.

The Macedonian government is politically weak and has no chance of surveying what Serbia is going through with Kosovo, their sad country will be reduced in size smaller than most major US cities, of all the countries in this region they should be the most concerned about what happens in Kosovo. If they continue on the path they are going their relationship with Serbia will be so strained that it will take years to repair which is certainly not to their benefit, at the end of the day relationships between neighborers is far more important then all other relationships.

me as a Kosovar Albanian i just dont belive anything they say
all these so called POLITICANS
are after one thing and thats beeing in power
shame on them all

Resolution 1244 does not authorize the EU to unilaterally deploy a mission to Kosovo. Kosovo already has a Civilian mission called Unmik regulated by the Security Counsel as authorized by Article 19. of Res. 1244. The EU could seek authorization from the UN, but there you run into Russia and China. So they would have to acknowledge all the legal requirements of Res. 1244, including the "full account" of the "principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia as Recognized Successor State)" as enumerated in annex 1 and annex 2. Therefore when the UN is forced to annul any illegal unilateral declaration by the Provisional Government in Pristina, the EU will be forced to abide by that annulment. So you would be back to square one.Unless of course they become occupiers of Sovereign Serbian Territory. The EU will not allow themselves this legal folly. The EU is a beast of legalism. They spell out everything, just look at the 2006 consolidated version of the European Union Treaty in Chapter 5 of Annex 1 they regulate

"05.04 Guts, bladders and stomachs of animals (other than fish), whole and pieces
thereof
05.15 Animal products not elsewhere specified or included; dead animals of Chapter
1 or Chapter 3, unfit for human consumption".

The point is the Europeans regulate everything to the minute detail. There cannot be any ambiguity, Right now this whole EU mission is awash in a sea of ambiguity. It takes all 27 members to either agree or least not object. If one member says NO, the whole mission falls apart. Cyprus has already expressed disapproval of this folly, as well as Slovakia and Romania. So this is far from a done deal.

Coincidentally, can someone tell me what the Unilateral recognition by a few Western countries of a Illegal (outside the Security Counsel and UN Charter) Unilateral Declaration of a coordinated "Supervised Independence" means. Are they recognizing the supervised part or the independence part? How long will the supervised part take? What kind of status is this? In Ahtisaari's Plan it was conditioned on the return of refuges and their integration into society, and yes silly me the establishment of the RULE of LAW. How long is it going to take to return the 40,000 ethnically cleansed Serbs to their Pristina Homes and integrate them into society? There isn't a single Serb citizen living in the capital today. How can any territory profess readiness for independence when they cannot secure safety for 40,000 citizen in its own capital? How about the rest of the 2500,000 ethnically cleansed SERB and ROMA citizens? They are citizens right? They can't all be war criminals?The Legalistic Europeans would certainly not want to deny them their rights. Recently, the Hague ruled that the Srebranica Victims could sue the Dutch and the UN for their failure. I am certain that the EU would not want to be liable for not allowing the 250,000 ethnically cleansed citizens of Kosovo, all under the watchful eye of NATO, to return to their rightful homes. What about the remaining Serbs and Roma, is NATO going to use force as peacekeepers to force them to accept this illegal succession? How Long will the supervised part take? Will there then be another whole series of recognitions of the Independence part after supervision ends? Will the supervised part ever end? Will the KLA drive NATO out then? There are many pitfalls to a Non Negotiated settlement.

Similarly, Unilateral Declaration of a coordinated "Supervised Independence" will not resole the sovereignty question, when it comes to direct foreign investment. Sure the US and the EU will provide some funds and I am sure they will secure you hefty loans, but they won't be able to convince any large corporations, to take a chance, that nobody will show up to court, holding a deed, wanting restitution for stolen property. How Long will the the Supervised part take? I know that many of you in Kosovo are suffering very much on both sides, I am sorry for your suffering, but my cynicism is not directed at you, but rather at the cavalier attitude that your leaders have exhibited throughout the negotiating process. Res.. 1244 was and is the only valid, legal document and no matter how you massage it, twist it, flip it you get back to Serbian Sovereignty. But there wont be any final status until there is a Negotiated Settlement between the Parties within the framework of Res. 1244 and in the UN Security Counsel. You wont be recognized by the UN. A few European nations wills recognize your "supervised independence". The EU will supervise your Special Status, but will not be able to accept you into its ranks because of sovereignty questions. Will Serbia by then be a member of the EU?

Declaire at will you'll only be at the same point you were for the past 8 years. Minus power & North Kosovo.

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) deputy leader Limaj said that the date had been set, but that it was being kept secret because this had been agreed on with "our Western friends."

There is no date (and there will be no one needed) and there are no Western friends (just Western users who like to take advantage of your naive thoughts and world view). In addition, as long as Kosovo is not a democratic province (it has been a province for a long time, but it became non-democratic eight years ago) of The Replublic of Serbia it should not even have a party with democratic in it. We do not care what Albania and The Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia think. Maybe you can ask Santa Claus for a new dream.

These "leaders" are doing the same thing & expecting different results. This is not going to happen - if it was meant to be, there wouldn't be a need for these commentaries or articles.

KosovO was a part of the republic of Serbia when Yugoslavia was still a country - anything to deviate from that well documented (& known fact) is pure hogwash!

Settlement of the situation in Kosovo would be good for the whole region, but only if it's a good settlement. It's not really a settlement if only one side's considerations are taken into account.

As things stand now, I don't see any reason for Serbia to sign off on the deal as they have nothing significant to gain, and much more to lose.

KS, you probably didn't have respect for him to begin with. He's the last politican to lose respect for.

Yeah, sure Florin, Ferry to Italy is the closest way for Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija to go to Austria and Germany, right?

Floirun said >> Albania is midway through constructing a superhighway which will link Kosovo to the Adriatic in three hours time.

Where did you hear that, in a Pristina café? WOW what a fantasy! This high my dear friend has not started nor will it start any time soon because it cost more than the whole net worth of Albania! Its simply to expensive. All they have done about it so far is talk!