State Dept.: Kosovo to be settled outside UN

once again this sad person is raging against Serbia, international law and peacful compromises.

and B92 is spreading it. bravo!

either the US-administration is not smart enough, or they simply do not care about the analyses their own analysts are providing. remember the stratfor-guy...

they are already losing grip in the middle-east...and now they begin to fade away in the balkans,first politically...

With all due respect to Mr. Fried's supposed intelligence, we tried solving another little fabricated "crisis" outside the UNSC. We call it Iraq.

At the time, I was fully in support of doing whatever was necessary, and if those UN eggheads were obstructing our sacred mission, then screw'em.

5 years later, the vast majority of us realize the utter folly of doing something without a UN mandate - and thus international support, as well as trusting the word of this goverment in particular. In this regard, Kosovo should only be solved through the UN and if it means cutting a deal with Russia for the sake of international consensus and moving forward, than what in God's name are we banging our heads for? Most 5th graders could tell you that if you continuously reach an impasse with someone, you compromise. This seems totally foreign to Washington these days, and in a time where America's credibility is less than that of many of the rogue states we are supposedly trying to contain, we can't afford any more cowboy diplomacy.

EU Mission to Kosovo for 10 - 20 years to build up political, social, and economic institutions and establish the foundations of a democratic civil society, and leave off the final status of Kosovo for the time being.

Crisis solved, Russia happy, Serbia appeased and ready to move on, Albanians cared for and ready to improve their daily lives, and Bush can chalk up a victory for his dismal administration.

Well what's new, fried Serb bashing again?? No way that can't be.. when has america done anything legally? The truth is america wants to control KiM because of their monster base there. This is why they attacked Serbia in 99 in the most cowardly way.

The American media does not air his comments because they are unfit for dissemination back the in US. Their sole purpose is to trick and demoralize their target, the Serbs. He is to be ignored.

Fried reiterated that talks under Contact Group Troika auspices had failed, not because of a lack of time, but because it had been impossible to bridge the gap between Belgrade and Priština’s standpoints.

I hope that the Serbian panel here understands that CLEAR AMERICAN ENGLISH))
Let's be REAL and move forward to the common European future with European values.
Free movement of goods, free movement of people, without borders, REAL peace and stability for everyone.

"That is exactly what's going to happen. This is the best way to exclude countries that oppose any solution, like Russia.
Wheels on the bus go round and round, wheels are moving very fast now!!!
(lazer, nyc usa, 23 December 2007 16:41)"

Well, those desperate enough will hope Mr Ban does this. But he won't. Not unless he wants to lose his job -- which requires the approval of the UNSC. And not unless he wants to set a potentially dangerous precedent for his own native South Korea's conflict with North Korea.

Afrim, EA and Funcakes (where did you get that name from? – just curious)

Do you really things will be all that much greater once you are independent? Your assumption must be that companies will just come to Kosovo and give you money without anything in return. That was socialism. Capitalism is a lot different. You have to work hard for the money. Companies will come, but not as you expect. I would rather send jobs to a country with low labor costs, so Kosovo is not a contender there with the adoption of the Euro. You also have to have infrastructure. Poor roads, lack of capable rail lines, electrical and water shortages don’t attract businesses. Yes, you may be independent, but you will have to build a country to attract investment on your own. The EU may help, but they aren’t going to be footing your bills. The US and EU are really tired of covering your yearly deficits while your politicians line their pockets. The EU mission isn’t a charity mission. It is a law and order mission which is supposed to GUIDE you toward a European future, not hand it to you. Things aren’t free in life. And you will have to learn the hard way.

It looks like Serbia will sign the SAA next year sometime. Wouldn’t it have been better to just work on a compromise with Serbia that gave you your independence, in some form, than to wait 30 to 40 years for a better life? It took Eastern European countries 15 years just to get into the EU and they had somewhat developed economies. Kosovo has nothing but handouts. Freedom of movement, goods, and people comes with EU membership, not independence. There is a saying in English about cutting of the nose to spite the face. Basically, you do damage to yourself just because you are mad at something. That is what you are doing here without really caring about your offspring.

The irony here is that by declaring independence unilaterally, the Americans and Albanians are cementing an unofficial status for Kosovo.

This unofficial status will prevent Kosovo from joining international organizations like the U.N. and EU and assure that the area continues to be a flashpoint of insecurity.

In the end, Kosovo will never truelly be independent unless they get the Serbian sign off.

If someone attacs serbia,is a cowardly act, but when serbia attaced others it was "patriotic".wheels on the bus go round and round....

Samardzic should not complain
about Serbias treatment by
Rice.USA has been allowed to
follow a policy of bullying
and threatening.They tried
the same policy with North
Korea and they ended up
supplying them with all their
fuel and food needs.

What did samardzic think? Did he think that things will stop the way they are becaus of him and Kostunica? NO, NO and NO, Things will move forward with or without Samardzic's and Kostunica's wish. Kosova wil move forward towards INDEPENDENCE and Serbia with her Kostunicas and Samardzics can not stop her.

“The worst case scenario would be if the UN Secretariat were to give in to U.S. pressure and blackmail, and if Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon were to flout UN SC rules and send a new mission to Kosovo to replace UNMIK,” he stressed.


That is exactly what's going to happen. This is the best way to exclude countries that oppose any solution, like Russia.
Wheels on the bus go round and round, wheels are moving very fast now!!!

It is Mr. Daniel Fried and Washington administration that has refused to compromise and allow Belgrade and Pristina to come to a lasting and peaceful agreement on Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija.
Don't now, that crisis has been created, start to blame Russia for her determination to respect international law and sovereign territory.
Russia's stand gains it great respect while Washington sliding into amoral and illegal abyss.

Strangely enough, I agree fully with Daniel Fried; status needs to be decided quick, no compromize can be reached by both sides and leaving this situation longer would not heal the situation at all here.

However, I still agree with Russia's stance also when it comes to respect of the foundations of international law that exists for a reason.

Then again, it's up to whether you believe in an realistic or idealistic solution to the problem. The Serb and Albanian camp probably have their own interpretation of which one is which in this situation.

I don't think that you can have success in any talks when you tell one party that regardless of what the outcome of those talk are, you will back up their plan for a unilateral declaration of independence. The talks were held in bad faith and failed as such. It had nothing to do with an impossible bridge to gap. If the envoys would have said that each party needs to work out a solution that is suitable to both parties without prejudging the outcome, then I'm sure Kosovo and Serbia would have been able to declare that they both got what they wanted and we wouldn’t have been waiting this long for a decision on final status. Instead, there was just an additional 120 day delay for the Albanian side. In essence, it hurts the Serbians who are trying to find their way into the EU and the Albanians who are trying to get a life. Compromise failed not because of this gap, but because of an Administration that has a hard time understanding the Balkans.

I really believe that the speed at which the Administration wants this declaration to occur has less to do with genuine concern for Kosovo as it really does with wanting to get out of Kosovo. Turning Kosovo over to the EU mission frees us up from a 1990's crisis and allows us to give it to our NATO "allies" who aren't helping in Afghanistan so we can finish up the job there.

OH HO HO HO!!! I would love to see how they (state department) will pull this one off! :D This should be good.

So the separatist tendencies come from the Hungarian side? We shouldn't forget that Albanians and Hungarians were on the same side in World War I and II. So I take it that you feel that this idea of self determination also applies to Transylvania and Southern Slovakia also? Start in Kosovo and work your way up? But of course, that can’t happen with both Slovakia and Romania in the EU. So is this you way of revenge? Or if it can happen in Kosovo, it can happen in Vojvodina? I would think knowing that Vojvodina won’t be allowed to secede from Serbia, you would want equal treatment for both provinces.

I am an Anglo-American, by the way. I was born and raised in the States and will defend our right to form our own opinions. I know that if I don’t hold the Kosovar beliefs, then I am automatically a Serb-sympathizer. With Kosovars, there is no other way. You are either with them, or against them. Free thought isn’t allowed. And I used the term educated American as an explanation to the way I think. I make educated decisions, not decisions based on passions and prejudices. You may think its funny, which is ok. I don’t expect all people to be educated.

i thought the serbian election is stopping the self-declared superpower, but actually it´s - as we read - the european friends, and there again actually everybody except cyprus and then again actually cyprus, greece, spain, italy and so on!

ha ha ha

the bunch is getting from funny to boring!

or as they say in austria: you can´t buy heroism! you do something or don´t or like fried talk about it for two years!

emperor caligula made his horse senator, but the horse never started in office!

the usa is free to declare a pink elephant for ayatollah of pristina! or to talk about it for two years! or even longer, you know, cause there´s the russian election following ....

even if we will remain in serbia which we will not, we are who we are, and kosova economy will be what it is now, and same for infrastructure, jobs etc.
those bad things we received for being in serbia. we received nothing, +killing, misstreating, no rights, humiliation etc.

serbia cannot convince anyone neither with good promises nor with blockades.
we dont care.
now only independence will make things better.

Your right Joe, I am letting you all bring me down to your level. I won't hold it against you that my grandfather beat your grandfather and taught him a lesson. And if you want to believe in Santa, that is fine by me. Let me know what he brings you.

Also, try another word. You already used polemize. It's bad practice. Try a thesaurus.

Let's move on to the next topic.

"Rice said on Friday in Washington that important decisions on Kosovo's status should be taken in the coming weeks and that inactivity would lead to fresh instability in the Balkans."

I find this an incredibly ignorant position of the US. Don't they realize that the exact opposite is the case. Recognizing Kosovo's independence will cause the instability of the Balkans, not avoid it. It is time for the US to get their heads out of the sand and realize that they are the major cause of instability in the region, not to mention the rest of the world that they are trying to turn into US colonies.

UNSC can't do anything anymore...if you can't accept it now, you will be forced to when independence gets declared and recognized.

Then you can wave the UNSC undies all you want.

Thanks god for "BONDSTEEL"!
God bless America.

American Eagle,

Do you think that by reading it the K-Albanians will recognize that they were wrong until now and they have to rush back to their earlier oppressors?
Do you really hope to convince anybody with such a condescending "lecture"?

@ 21 Doni

What does an orphaned girl from Moldova got to do with anything here?

Doni,

I don’t have to be with you for the “common good.” Your definition of the common good is different from mine. I believe in the American way, yours is backwards way where revenge is always revered.

If we held grudges like Albanians do, we wouldn’t have helped you out when you were being deported. Albania fought against the US in both World Wars. We don’t forget, but we do forgive. Do you think we would be the world power we are today if we didn’t forgive? I can tell you where the world would be. Germany would still be divided, England wouldn’t be our ally, and Albania wouldn’t exist. It was President Wilson who fought to give you a country, not your European allies.

Maybe the Hungarians can help you rebuild Kosovo. I heard that they have a prime minister who will lie to you and a far-right organization that hates anybody not Hungarian.

#9
which kind of job he will lose, who will remove him from the job. Russia??
if yes..
US will veto. so he will still have the job.
no one will remove him by the way.

Do you know how many children are born in Kosova from 1999? and they never have been under serbian rule. if kosova would go to serbia like you say, it will be unacceptable for them.

this link will make hopefully serbs understand that they must give up Kosova, because they didn't care about the people and this place which is supposed to be the heart of this nation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/07/europe_rada0s_new_family/html/1.stm

Joe,

I don't usually try to criticize any person's beliefs but yours...I have to. No Kosovar will ever run back to Serbia. Every single Kosovar is much better today than 9 years ago.
Thank God for NATO, without a humane intervention.

Merry Christmas

Joe,

Not really. I find that the Kosovars don't really follow reason, but their emotions and the hate that has been passed down from generation to generation when dealing with this issue. Even I think twice about my actions and sometimes swallow my pride when making a decision that will I may not like at the time but I know will benefit me in the long run. But I don't give up and want the Kosovars to see what they are giving up and what they face. My comments are not condescending. They are unbiased informative opinion. I'm not trying to talk down to you and the rest of the Kosovars. I'm trying to reason with you and show you that you are really shooting yourself in the foot here. If you can't live with Serbs now, you won't be able to live with them in the EU and I'm sure that will hurt you more than the Serbs since they are closer to joining the EU that Kosovo is. Just like Greece is threatening to tank Macedonia's bid to join the EU over a simple name dispute, I'm sure Kosovo will suffer the same fate when Kosovo finally develops an economy and wants to join an EU that includes Serbia by that time. Someone needs to be the bigger person and make the first step toward peace. This Balkan issue will never be solved without it. There are plenty of outs on this issue where both sides can claim partial victory without humilating the other, but your side is dead set on humiliation only.

Before I am attacked by the rest of the Kosovars, I don’t say this about the Serbs because they have come out with positions that are logical. Hong Kong style autonomy would have been a better choice than Taiwan style diplomacy. Recognition by the US and some of the EU along with Muslim countries and no representation in international organizations will hurt Kosovo. The world doesn’t revolve around just the US and EU. Seeing the Palestinians suffering while the Saudis make gobs of money and live opulent lifestyles shows you how much aid Kosovo should expect from Middle Eastern countries. China and Russia are economic superpowers that can’t be ignored. Doing so is the wrong choice. Even the US realizes this.

One thing I noticed Joe is that you must not be an American. In an earlier post, you placed the dollar sign behind the amount. We don’t do that. It goes in front. Am I correct in this assumption?

American Eagle, there is no peace without reconcilliation and there is no reconcilliation without the truth.

And the truth consists of the facts.
If you follow the conversation here on B92, it is evident that the majority of Albanian posters either believe or merely repeat the claims that are not factual-from Albanians being the sole descendant of Ilyrians, Skanderbeg being ethic Albanian to Albanians being the sole victims in the Balkans. Those fabrications are not naive. One is free to believe whatever he or she wants, but when one acts upon such erroneous claims to hurt others, it is another thing. I have not seen ANY action of international community to act agaist spreading of deliberate lies and fabrication in Kosovo Albanian school system.

Of course they can not because the entire Kosovo business was founded on a big lie and this big lie is coming to bite back.

Ask any Kosovo Albanian how many Albanians were murdered by KLA before and after the war and the response will be the true measure of the problem we are dealing with.

American Eagle,

Your comments can be real entertaining and funny. Yesterday you let us all know that you are an "educated" American. Somebody else fund it funny too. It sounds like very few Americans are educated. As that person pointed out a real American would never say it that way but maybe a Serbian or Greek-American. But I don't care about your origine. The nice thing is that the US is a melting pot. I have Chinease, Russian, Indian, French and Colombian collegues. We work together in great harmony, much better than the Europeans in the EU will ever do.
Your latest funny contribution: according to you I am a Kosovar. Well people took me already for a German, Swede, French-Canadian, etc but Kosovar is a first. As most people know on this site I am a Hungarian-American but if you insist I will paraphrase the famous saying of John F. Kennedy "Ich bin a Berliner" by telling you that I am a K-Albanian out of sympathy for the hardships they went through.
And for the dollar sign thanks a lot for trying to educate me. It is very kind of you but in my brokerage I use it correctly. I know both usages since I worked in the export business in Germany. I made a mistake. I am glad that in the future I can count on you to correct my mistakes.

American Eagle, you just gave Doni and Joe a lesson. Yes, American Eagle is right our grandparents taught Hungary and Albania, and Croatia, and Bosnia, and Germany, a lesson in justice and truth.

To American eagle
You say that Greece is
threatening FYROM over the
simple name issue. If it
chose the name of Republic
of Coca Cola would the US
goverment have recognised it?

KS,

I am sorry for not have expressed myself more clearly.
When I wrote that "they were wrong" of course I did not mean it. I was just ironizing American Eagle's belief.
I am fully aware of the fact that no K-Albanian will ever run back to Serbia.
I hope that you get your independence very soon.
Happy Holidays! Marry Christmas!

@ american eagle

About Hungarians and Albanians, we speak different langauges, have different culture, but we mutually respect each other and have common history that unite us. We don't forget our friends as we don't forget our enimies, we have long memory.
US has same stand, either you are with us or against us. You can have different oppinion but you have to be with us for the common good.

A real "educated" American would not start to polemize, attack a Hungarian-American for so-called imaginary tendencies like the American eagle is doing it. He is showing his true colours. He is claiming to be an Anglo-American. Sure, sure, why not. I believe in Santa Claus.

If someone attacs serbia,is a cowardly act, but when serbia attaced others it was "patriotic".wheels on the bus go round and round....

What did samardzic think? Did he think that things will stop the way they are becaus of him and Kostunica? NO, NO and NO, Things will move forward with or without Samardzic's and Kostunica's wish. Kosova wil move forward towards INDEPENDENCE and Serbia with her Kostunicas and Samardzics can not stop her.

Fried reiterated that talks under Contact Group Troika auspices had failed, not because of a lack of time, but because it had been impossible to bridge the gap between Belgrade and Priština’s standpoints.

I hope that the Serbian panel here understands that CLEAR AMERICAN ENGLISH))
Let's be REAL and move forward to the common European future with European values.
Free movement of goods, free movement of people, without borders, REAL peace and stability for everyone.

#9
which kind of job he will lose, who will remove him from the job. Russia??
if yes..
US will veto. so he will still have the job.
no one will remove him by the way.

Do you know how many children are born in Kosova from 1999? and they never have been under serbian rule. if kosova would go to serbia like you say, it will be unacceptable for them.

“The worst case scenario would be if the UN Secretariat were to give in to U.S. pressure and blackmail, and if Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon were to flout UN SC rules and send a new mission to Kosovo to replace UNMIK,” he stressed.


That is exactly what's going to happen. This is the best way to exclude countries that oppose any solution, like Russia.
Wheels on the bus go round and round, wheels are moving very fast now!!!

UNSC can't do anything anymore...if you can't accept it now, you will be forced to when independence gets declared and recognized.

Then you can wave the UNSC undies all you want.

even if we will remain in serbia which we will not, we are who we are, and kosova economy will be what it is now, and same for infrastructure, jobs etc.
those bad things we received for being in serbia. we received nothing, +killing, misstreating, no rights, humiliation etc.

serbia cannot convince anyone neither with good promises nor with blockades.
we dont care.
now only independence will make things better.

Samardzic should not complain
about Serbias treatment by
Rice.USA has been allowed to
follow a policy of bullying
and threatening.They tried
the same policy with North
Korea and they ended up
supplying them with all their
fuel and food needs.

With all due respect to Mr. Fried's supposed intelligence, we tried solving another little fabricated "crisis" outside the UNSC. We call it Iraq.

At the time, I was fully in support of doing whatever was necessary, and if those UN eggheads were obstructing our sacred mission, then screw'em.

5 years later, the vast majority of us realize the utter folly of doing something without a UN mandate - and thus international support, as well as trusting the word of this goverment in particular. In this regard, Kosovo should only be solved through the UN and if it means cutting a deal with Russia for the sake of international consensus and moving forward, than what in God's name are we banging our heads for? Most 5th graders could tell you that if you continuously reach an impasse with someone, you compromise. This seems totally foreign to Washington these days, and in a time where America's credibility is less than that of many of the rogue states we are supposedly trying to contain, we can't afford any more cowboy diplomacy.

EU Mission to Kosovo for 10 - 20 years to build up political, social, and economic institutions and establish the foundations of a democratic civil society, and leave off the final status of Kosovo for the time being.

Crisis solved, Russia happy, Serbia appeased and ready to move on, Albanians cared for and ready to improve their daily lives, and Bush can chalk up a victory for his dismal administration.

"That is exactly what's going to happen. This is the best way to exclude countries that oppose any solution, like Russia.
Wheels on the bus go round and round, wheels are moving very fast now!!!
(lazer, nyc usa, 23 December 2007 16:41)"

Well, those desperate enough will hope Mr Ban does this. But he won't. Not unless he wants to lose his job -- which requires the approval of the UNSC. And not unless he wants to set a potentially dangerous precedent for his own native South Korea's conflict with North Korea.

American Eagle,

Do you think that by reading it the K-Albanians will recognize that they were wrong until now and they have to rush back to their earlier oppressors?
Do you really hope to convince anybody with such a condescending "lecture"?

once again this sad person is raging against Serbia, international law and peacful compromises.

and B92 is spreading it. bravo!

either the US-administration is not smart enough, or they simply do not care about the analyses their own analysts are providing. remember the stratfor-guy...

they are already losing grip in the middle-east...and now they begin to fade away in the balkans,first politically...

Well what's new, fried Serb bashing again?? No way that can't be.. when has america done anything legally? The truth is america wants to control KiM because of their monster base there. This is why they attacked Serbia in 99 in the most cowardly way.

this link will make hopefully serbs understand that they must give up Kosova, because they didn't care about the people and this place which is supposed to be the heart of this nation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/07/europe_rada0s_new_family/html/1.stm

It is Mr. Daniel Fried and Washington administration that has refused to compromise and allow Belgrade and Pristina to come to a lasting and peaceful agreement on Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija.
Don't now, that crisis has been created, start to blame Russia for her determination to respect international law and sovereign territory.
Russia's stand gains it great respect while Washington sliding into amoral and illegal abyss.

Joe,

I don't usually try to criticize any person's beliefs but yours...I have to. No Kosovar will ever run back to Serbia. Every single Kosovar is much better today than 9 years ago.
Thank God for NATO, without a humane intervention.

Merry Christmas

KS,

I am sorry for not have expressed myself more clearly.
When I wrote that "they were wrong" of course I did not mean it. I was just ironizing American Eagle's belief.
I am fully aware of the fact that no K-Albanian will ever run back to Serbia.
I hope that you get your independence very soon.
Happy Holidays! Marry Christmas!

American Eagle, there is no peace without reconcilliation and there is no reconcilliation without the truth.

And the truth consists of the facts.
If you follow the conversation here on B92, it is evident that the majority of Albanian posters either believe or merely repeat the claims that are not factual-from Albanians being the sole descendant of Ilyrians, Skanderbeg being ethic Albanian to Albanians being the sole victims in the Balkans. Those fabrications are not naive. One is free to believe whatever he or she wants, but when one acts upon such erroneous claims to hurt others, it is another thing. I have not seen ANY action of international community to act agaist spreading of deliberate lies and fabrication in Kosovo Albanian school system.

Of course they can not because the entire Kosovo business was founded on a big lie and this big lie is coming to bite back.

Ask any Kosovo Albanian how many Albanians were murdered by KLA before and after the war and the response will be the true measure of the problem we are dealing with.

American Eagle,

Your comments can be real entertaining and funny. Yesterday you let us all know that you are an "educated" American. Somebody else fund it funny too. It sounds like very few Americans are educated. As that person pointed out a real American would never say it that way but maybe a Serbian or Greek-American. But I don't care about your origine. The nice thing is that the US is a melting pot. I have Chinease, Russian, Indian, French and Colombian collegues. We work together in great harmony, much better than the Europeans in the EU will ever do.
Your latest funny contribution: according to you I am a Kosovar. Well people took me already for a German, Swede, French-Canadian, etc but Kosovar is a first. As most people know on this site I am a Hungarian-American but if you insist I will paraphrase the famous saying of John F. Kennedy "Ich bin a Berliner" by telling you that I am a K-Albanian out of sympathy for the hardships they went through.
And for the dollar sign thanks a lot for trying to educate me. It is very kind of you but in my brokerage I use it correctly. I know both usages since I worked in the export business in Germany. I made a mistake. I am glad that in the future I can count on you to correct my mistakes.

@ american eagle

About Hungarians and Albanians, we speak different langauges, have different culture, but we mutually respect each other and have common history that unite us. We don't forget our friends as we don't forget our enimies, we have long memory.
US has same stand, either you are with us or against us. You can have different oppinion but you have to be with us for the common good.

A real "educated" American would not start to polemize, attack a Hungarian-American for so-called imaginary tendencies like the American eagle is doing it. He is showing his true colours. He is claiming to be an Anglo-American. Sure, sure, why not. I believe in Santa Claus.

American Eagle, you just gave Doni and Joe a lesson. Yes, American Eagle is right our grandparents taught Hungary and Albania, and Croatia, and Bosnia, and Germany, a lesson in justice and truth.

Strangely enough, I agree fully with Daniel Fried; status needs to be decided quick, no compromize can be reached by both sides and leaving this situation longer would not heal the situation at all here.

However, I still agree with Russia's stance also when it comes to respect of the foundations of international law that exists for a reason.

Then again, it's up to whether you believe in an realistic or idealistic solution to the problem. The Serb and Albanian camp probably have their own interpretation of which one is which in this situation.

I don't think that you can have success in any talks when you tell one party that regardless of what the outcome of those talk are, you will back up their plan for a unilateral declaration of independence. The talks were held in bad faith and failed as such. It had nothing to do with an impossible bridge to gap. If the envoys would have said that each party needs to work out a solution that is suitable to both parties without prejudging the outcome, then I'm sure Kosovo and Serbia would have been able to declare that they both got what they wanted and we wouldn’t have been waiting this long for a decision on final status. Instead, there was just an additional 120 day delay for the Albanian side. In essence, it hurts the Serbians who are trying to find their way into the EU and the Albanians who are trying to get a life. Compromise failed not because of this gap, but because of an Administration that has a hard time understanding the Balkans.

I really believe that the speed at which the Administration wants this declaration to occur has less to do with genuine concern for Kosovo as it really does with wanting to get out of Kosovo. Turning Kosovo over to the EU mission frees us up from a 1990's crisis and allows us to give it to our NATO "allies" who aren't helping in Afghanistan so we can finish up the job there.

Afrim, EA and Funcakes (where did you get that name from? – just curious)

Do you really things will be all that much greater once you are independent? Your assumption must be that companies will just come to Kosovo and give you money without anything in return. That was socialism. Capitalism is a lot different. You have to work hard for the money. Companies will come, but not as you expect. I would rather send jobs to a country with low labor costs, so Kosovo is not a contender there with the adoption of the Euro. You also have to have infrastructure. Poor roads, lack of capable rail lines, electrical and water shortages don’t attract businesses. Yes, you may be independent, but you will have to build a country to attract investment on your own. The EU may help, but they aren’t going to be footing your bills. The US and EU are really tired of covering your yearly deficits while your politicians line their pockets. The EU mission isn’t a charity mission. It is a law and order mission which is supposed to GUIDE you toward a European future, not hand it to you. Things aren’t free in life. And you will have to learn the hard way.

It looks like Serbia will sign the SAA next year sometime. Wouldn’t it have been better to just work on a compromise with Serbia that gave you your independence, in some form, than to wait 30 to 40 years for a better life? It took Eastern European countries 15 years just to get into the EU and they had somewhat developed economies. Kosovo has nothing but handouts. Freedom of movement, goods, and people comes with EU membership, not independence. There is a saying in English about cutting of the nose to spite the face. Basically, you do damage to yourself just because you are mad at something. That is what you are doing here without really caring about your offspring.

The irony here is that by declaring independence unilaterally, the Americans and Albanians are cementing an unofficial status for Kosovo.

This unofficial status will prevent Kosovo from joining international organizations like the U.N. and EU and assure that the area continues to be a flashpoint of insecurity.

In the end, Kosovo will never truelly be independent unless they get the Serbian sign off.

The American media does not air his comments because they are unfit for dissemination back the in US. Their sole purpose is to trick and demoralize their target, the Serbs. He is to be ignored.

OH HO HO HO!!! I would love to see how they (state department) will pull this one off! :D This should be good.

i thought the serbian election is stopping the self-declared superpower, but actually it´s - as we read - the european friends, and there again actually everybody except cyprus and then again actually cyprus, greece, spain, italy and so on!

ha ha ha

the bunch is getting from funny to boring!

or as they say in austria: you can´t buy heroism! you do something or don´t or like fried talk about it for two years!

emperor caligula made his horse senator, but the horse never started in office!

the usa is free to declare a pink elephant for ayatollah of pristina! or to talk about it for two years! or even longer, you know, cause there´s the russian election following ....

Thanks god for "BONDSTEEL"!
God bless America.

@ 21 Doni

What does an orphaned girl from Moldova got to do with anything here?

Joe,

Not really. I find that the Kosovars don't really follow reason, but their emotions and the hate that has been passed down from generation to generation when dealing with this issue. Even I think twice about my actions and sometimes swallow my pride when making a decision that will I may not like at the time but I know will benefit me in the long run. But I don't give up and want the Kosovars to see what they are giving up and what they face. My comments are not condescending. They are unbiased informative opinion. I'm not trying to talk down to you and the rest of the Kosovars. I'm trying to reason with you and show you that you are really shooting yourself in the foot here. If you can't live with Serbs now, you won't be able to live with them in the EU and I'm sure that will hurt you more than the Serbs since they are closer to joining the EU that Kosovo is. Just like Greece is threatening to tank Macedonia's bid to join the EU over a simple name dispute, I'm sure Kosovo will suffer the same fate when Kosovo finally develops an economy and wants to join an EU that includes Serbia by that time. Someone needs to be the bigger person and make the first step toward peace. This Balkan issue will never be solved without it. There are plenty of outs on this issue where both sides can claim partial victory without humilating the other, but your side is dead set on humiliation only.

Before I am attacked by the rest of the Kosovars, I don’t say this about the Serbs because they have come out with positions that are logical. Hong Kong style autonomy would have been a better choice than Taiwan style diplomacy. Recognition by the US and some of the EU along with Muslim countries and no representation in international organizations will hurt Kosovo. The world doesn’t revolve around just the US and EU. Seeing the Palestinians suffering while the Saudis make gobs of money and live opulent lifestyles shows you how much aid Kosovo should expect from Middle Eastern countries. China and Russia are economic superpowers that can’t be ignored. Doing so is the wrong choice. Even the US realizes this.

One thing I noticed Joe is that you must not be an American. In an earlier post, you placed the dollar sign behind the amount. We don’t do that. It goes in front. Am I correct in this assumption?

So the separatist tendencies come from the Hungarian side? We shouldn't forget that Albanians and Hungarians were on the same side in World War I and II. So I take it that you feel that this idea of self determination also applies to Transylvania and Southern Slovakia also? Start in Kosovo and work your way up? But of course, that can’t happen with both Slovakia and Romania in the EU. So is this you way of revenge? Or if it can happen in Kosovo, it can happen in Vojvodina? I would think knowing that Vojvodina won’t be allowed to secede from Serbia, you would want equal treatment for both provinces.

I am an Anglo-American, by the way. I was born and raised in the States and will defend our right to form our own opinions. I know that if I don’t hold the Kosovar beliefs, then I am automatically a Serb-sympathizer. With Kosovars, there is no other way. You are either with them, or against them. Free thought isn’t allowed. And I used the term educated American as an explanation to the way I think. I make educated decisions, not decisions based on passions and prejudices. You may think its funny, which is ok. I don’t expect all people to be educated.

Doni,

I don’t have to be with you for the “common good.” Your definition of the common good is different from mine. I believe in the American way, yours is backwards way where revenge is always revered.

If we held grudges like Albanians do, we wouldn’t have helped you out when you were being deported. Albania fought against the US in both World Wars. We don’t forget, but we do forgive. Do you think we would be the world power we are today if we didn’t forgive? I can tell you where the world would be. Germany would still be divided, England wouldn’t be our ally, and Albania wouldn’t exist. It was President Wilson who fought to give you a country, not your European allies.

Maybe the Hungarians can help you rebuild Kosovo. I heard that they have a prime minister who will lie to you and a far-right organization that hates anybody not Hungarian.

Your right Joe, I am letting you all bring me down to your level. I won't hold it against you that my grandfather beat your grandfather and taught him a lesson. And if you want to believe in Santa, that is fine by me. Let me know what he brings you.

Also, try another word. You already used polemize. It's bad practice. Try a thesaurus.

Let's move on to the next topic.

To American eagle
You say that Greece is
threatening FYROM over the
simple name issue. If it
chose the name of Republic
of Coca Cola would the US
goverment have recognised it?

"Rice said on Friday in Washington that important decisions on Kosovo's status should be taken in the coming weeks and that inactivity would lead to fresh instability in the Balkans."

I find this an incredibly ignorant position of the US. Don't they realize that the exact opposite is the case. Recognizing Kosovo's independence will cause the instability of the Balkans, not avoid it. It is time for the US to get their heads out of the sand and realize that they are the major cause of instability in the region, not to mention the rest of the world that they are trying to turn into US colonies.