State Department: Serbia has to turn to future

Yesterday we had Solana and Rupel interfering in the Serbian election. Today we have Rehn and McCormack. Apart from the fact that they should mind their own business, they are all using the same tired old imagery. It's either a future in the European family or bleak isolation. Rubbish.

Here in Ireland we are listening to the same guff, despite being members of the EU for the last 35 years. In our case it's all about the Lisbon Treaty. If Ireland rejects it in a referendum, we are being told, the country faces "isolation".

So it seems you can be isolated both within and without the EU. Both the Irish and the Serbian people should reject this nonsense and have some pride in their own independent sovereignty.

Of course Serbia will turn to the future ..... but the US is presumptuous to assume that it will be anything resembling a pro-US future.

Kosovo and Albania are about the only places where the US is revered, it is actually hated in many other countries. In this election year, the US will do better to think of its own domestic politics, with the subprime mortgage fiasco set to drag the economy and greenback even further down the drain.

Bresa,

I am sorry if the tone of my contributions upsets your sensitivities. But you know as well as I do that "truth" and "reality" depend very much on where you are standing at any particular time.

I spent most of the nineties reading and listening to a daily dose of virulently anti-Serb news reports in our national and other media. It was similar to what was being directed against Irish republicans in Northern Ireland. I knew the latter was a tissue of lies so maybe that's what made me question what I was hearing about the Balkan wars.

So I set out to find out for myself. This included extensive reading and several visits to the region. What I discovered was to open my mind to another aspect of "reality". I also discovered that the Serbs are fine, decent, honourable people who are rather like the Irish in many ways. I do not deny that atrocities were committed by Serbs (neither would they) but I also know they were subjected to massive cruelty in Croatia, Bosnia and indeed Kosovo.

As much as anyone else I was delighted when the conflict in Ireland finished, but it only ended when equal respect was accorded to both sides. But the demonisation of the Serbs continues and as long as it continues, I will not sit on the fence.

To JB from Ireland.

Hi, i am from Greece and what you say about Ireland (the country of Rory Galagher!!!)
holds for the Greece too.
Without EU, we would be on the level of Lebanon or Jordania.

The greeks (supposedly old time serb orthodox friends)
while opposed the kosovo UDI,
they saluted EULEX (the illegal EU mission to Kosovo),
because we (the greeks) think of EU as something good by default.
I tried to "educate" many of my countrymen about the kosovo problem, but they just dont understand, til e.g. the turks ask for an independent Thrace!!!

Its like a good kid, loving his father, cause he brings biscuits, and loving him more for bringing more biscuits, but unfortunately father is a full time bank robber and killer.

How can someone convince this kid that his good father is a filthy criminal?

Listen to what the Americans tell you and do quite the opposite. This is your best insurance from a fatal mistake !

As much as anyone else I was delighted when the conflict in Ireland finished, but it only ended when equal respect was accorded to both sides. But the demonisation of the Serbs continues and as long as it continues, I will not sit on the fence.
(Tom O'Donoghue, 11 March 2008 16:01)

Your an officer and a gentleman Mr. Donoghue, please read some of the writing of the former UN Canadian General Mackenzie, French General Morillion, and even British Generals in Bosnia. The Serbs should have paid more attention to the conflicts in Ireland.

Even Lord David Owen view of the conflict was more level headed than what we are seeing today.

It pains many Serbs to see the lies and propoganda spread by many Albanian extremists , you can see it on this website.

The US should turn to the past, when it was truly a freedom loving country loved by most of the world! Today it has become tyrannical and hated by most of the world. I know this is a sensitive issue for America, but I think it is high time for Serbia, Russia and others to recognize the Republic of Lakota, they have declared themselves "independent" and have sent offers to the world for "recognition". May you have a bright and peaceful future on your historical homeland!

For Albanians, if you are born and educated in Kosovo you should understand
the word NIKADA (never) For some reason RUSSIA is in all of your comment.
Bravo Tom O'Donoghue.
Aleksandar USA

"Sean McCormack added that the U.S. understood that the Kosovo problem was “a sensitive issue” for Serbs and the Serbian government, but nevertheless called on Serbia to maintain its good relations with Washington and with the European Union. "

Question is not about Serbia maintaining good relations with US, but about US maintaining good relations with Serbia. From where I sit, is 'Washington' & 'brussels' who are generating all the instability & tension, not 'Belgrade'.


"The U.S. and UK see no pressing need to call yet another meeting of the Security Council devoted to Kosovo, stressing that there is no chance of new discussions altering the balance of forces within that divided institution. "

Maybe so - but provides a platform wherein Serbia can continue to present it's case with respect to K-albanian Unilateral Declaration of Independence. Is still a lot of nations that haven't decided on this.

As for the 'need for another meeting', that is Russia's decision :)


"the chief of the future EU mission in Kosovo, French General Yves de Kermabon, is in New York to discuss with the UN the “serious difficulties” that face the European mission after the arrival of its first 20 employees in the region. "

Yesterday, we had Rupel describing EU mission EULEX's deployment as 'somewhat complicated'. And today, future chief of EULEX now says there are 'serious difficulties' with said deployment. Appears legality of EULEX is not as clear as 'brussels' would like the world to think.

Will not get any joy from UN security council. EULEX is & will stay, illegal with no mandate from UN.


Iowe:

Saw an interview with a renowned economist. Said US has spent 3 trillion US$ in wars in the middle east. Also said that this was a major factor in sub-prime problem & for ills of US economy.

Seems that US can no longer 'afford' to go to war :)

I have similar experience. After seeing how far removed from the reality were western media information's about Balkans, I became more interested in the world affairs. And if you scratch just a bit under the surface of "International Community" official version of the events, reality is quite different and more often then not "Leader of the free world" pulls the strings behind the scene. US is actually leading permanent war against the third world.

Ylli

Unfortunately you have to enter on the EU's terms, not your own terms. One of the EU terms is that every EU member agrees with Kosovo's ascension. Do you know that there are EU countries who will not recognize Kosovo, let alone acknowledge membership?

I don't know how many times one has to right the facts and these are either too ignorant or too stupid to understand basic facts.

Serbia should reject EU and vote for radicals, this is the best way for Kosovo and Bosnia to enter the EU on our own terms.

The US and the EU were incompetent in failing to take into account the needs of democratic Serbia and putting its future at risk.

In answering the mono-ethnic aims of the Kosovo Albanians (the cause of the problem in the first place) they have given every justification for anger an resentment - where instead they could have established autonomy and good will. Shame on them.

To all. http://www.freerepublic.com/%5Ehttp://www.catholicherald.co.uk/features/f0000228.html

Mr. O'Donoghue to me all your commnets sound 'tense' and emotional, but most of them have very little to do with reality and nothing at all with truth.

I just wish for our kids to live-up in a time when hattred and ignorance toward others will not be called patrotism. Unfortunately for our generation this is a lost chance because of people like you still promoting the opposite.

BB - lived long enough to know what has happended and where in Kosovo.

To Tom,

I am also an Irish Citizen, and send my regards to you. I am however shocked at the way you seem to bad mouth the EU and the US. Don't get me wrong, i'm pro Serbia on the issue of Kosovo, but for you to tear into the EU/US is wrong, they're not without fault but we as Irish people should be thankful for the investment they have brought to our country, which has made life easier and made standards higher! Please when mounting your high horse, look at our history and pay close attention to when Ireland found its' pot of gold......i can assure you it was not the 'wee folk' who found it!
Slan!

Tom and others.

So the world is not a fair place, what else is new?

Every day countries need to deal and manage with pressure from east or west, or from different groups within a country. If your country is poorly lead and can't handle the pressure, then catasrophes such as Serbia's can happen, and it is not pretty to watch.

With the kinds of Kostunica, SRS and Velimir Ilic in power, do you honestly thinks Serbia will do better in future?

Mr. O'Donoghue to me all your commnets sound 'tense' and emotional, but most of them have very little to do with reality and nothing at all with truth.

I just wish for our kids to live-up in a time when hattred and ignorance toward others will not be called patrotism. Unfortunately for our generation this is a lost chance because of people like you still promoting the opposite.

BB - lived long enough to know what has happended and where in Kosovo.

Tom and others.

So the world is not a fair place, what else is new?

Every day countries need to deal and manage with pressure from east or west, or from different groups within a country. If your country is poorly lead and can't handle the pressure, then catasrophes such as Serbia's can happen, and it is not pretty to watch.

With the kinds of Kostunica, SRS and Velimir Ilic in power, do you honestly thinks Serbia will do better in future?

Serbia should reject EU and vote for radicals, this is the best way for Kosovo and Bosnia to enter the EU on our own terms.

Yesterday we had Solana and Rupel interfering in the Serbian election. Today we have Rehn and McCormack. Apart from the fact that they should mind their own business, they are all using the same tired old imagery. It's either a future in the European family or bleak isolation. Rubbish.

Here in Ireland we are listening to the same guff, despite being members of the EU for the last 35 years. In our case it's all about the Lisbon Treaty. If Ireland rejects it in a referendum, we are being told, the country faces "isolation".

So it seems you can be isolated both within and without the EU. Both the Irish and the Serbian people should reject this nonsense and have some pride in their own independent sovereignty.

Of course Serbia will turn to the future ..... but the US is presumptuous to assume that it will be anything resembling a pro-US future.

Kosovo and Albania are about the only places where the US is revered, it is actually hated in many other countries. In this election year, the US will do better to think of its own domestic politics, with the subprime mortgage fiasco set to drag the economy and greenback even further down the drain.

"Sean McCormack added that the U.S. understood that the Kosovo problem was “a sensitive issue” for Serbs and the Serbian government, but nevertheless called on Serbia to maintain its good relations with Washington and with the European Union. "

Question is not about Serbia maintaining good relations with US, but about US maintaining good relations with Serbia. From where I sit, is 'Washington' & 'brussels' who are generating all the instability & tension, not 'Belgrade'.


"The U.S. and UK see no pressing need to call yet another meeting of the Security Council devoted to Kosovo, stressing that there is no chance of new discussions altering the balance of forces within that divided institution. "

Maybe so - but provides a platform wherein Serbia can continue to present it's case with respect to K-albanian Unilateral Declaration of Independence. Is still a lot of nations that haven't decided on this.

As for the 'need for another meeting', that is Russia's decision :)


"the chief of the future EU mission in Kosovo, French General Yves de Kermabon, is in New York to discuss with the UN the “serious difficulties” that face the European mission after the arrival of its first 20 employees in the region. "

Yesterday, we had Rupel describing EU mission EULEX's deployment as 'somewhat complicated'. And today, future chief of EULEX now says there are 'serious difficulties' with said deployment. Appears legality of EULEX is not as clear as 'brussels' would like the world to think.

Will not get any joy from UN security council. EULEX is & will stay, illegal with no mandate from UN.


Iowe:

Saw an interview with a renowned economist. Said US has spent 3 trillion US$ in wars in the middle east. Also said that this was a major factor in sub-prime problem & for ills of US economy.

Seems that US can no longer 'afford' to go to war :)

Bresa,

I am sorry if the tone of my contributions upsets your sensitivities. But you know as well as I do that "truth" and "reality" depend very much on where you are standing at any particular time.

I spent most of the nineties reading and listening to a daily dose of virulently anti-Serb news reports in our national and other media. It was similar to what was being directed against Irish republicans in Northern Ireland. I knew the latter was a tissue of lies so maybe that's what made me question what I was hearing about the Balkan wars.

So I set out to find out for myself. This included extensive reading and several visits to the region. What I discovered was to open my mind to another aspect of "reality". I also discovered that the Serbs are fine, decent, honourable people who are rather like the Irish in many ways. I do not deny that atrocities were committed by Serbs (neither would they) but I also know they were subjected to massive cruelty in Croatia, Bosnia and indeed Kosovo.

As much as anyone else I was delighted when the conflict in Ireland finished, but it only ended when equal respect was accorded to both sides. But the demonisation of the Serbs continues and as long as it continues, I will not sit on the fence.

For Albanians, if you are born and educated in Kosovo you should understand
the word NIKADA (never) For some reason RUSSIA is in all of your comment.
Bravo Tom O'Donoghue.
Aleksandar USA

To all. http://www.freerepublic.com/%5Ehttp://www.catholicherald.co.uk/features/f0000228.html

As much as anyone else I was delighted when the conflict in Ireland finished, but it only ended when equal respect was accorded to both sides. But the demonisation of the Serbs continues and as long as it continues, I will not sit on the fence.
(Tom O'Donoghue, 11 March 2008 16:01)

Your an officer and a gentleman Mr. Donoghue, please read some of the writing of the former UN Canadian General Mackenzie, French General Morillion, and even British Generals in Bosnia. The Serbs should have paid more attention to the conflicts in Ireland.

Even Lord David Owen view of the conflict was more level headed than what we are seeing today.

It pains many Serbs to see the lies and propoganda spread by many Albanian extremists , you can see it on this website.

I have similar experience. After seeing how far removed from the reality were western media information's about Balkans, I became more interested in the world affairs. And if you scratch just a bit under the surface of "International Community" official version of the events, reality is quite different and more often then not "Leader of the free world" pulls the strings behind the scene. US is actually leading permanent war against the third world.

Listen to what the Americans tell you and do quite the opposite. This is your best insurance from a fatal mistake !

To Tom,

I am also an Irish Citizen, and send my regards to you. I am however shocked at the way you seem to bad mouth the EU and the US. Don't get me wrong, i'm pro Serbia on the issue of Kosovo, but for you to tear into the EU/US is wrong, they're not without fault but we as Irish people should be thankful for the investment they have brought to our country, which has made life easier and made standards higher! Please when mounting your high horse, look at our history and pay close attention to when Ireland found its' pot of gold......i can assure you it was not the 'wee folk' who found it!
Slan!

The US should turn to the past, when it was truly a freedom loving country loved by most of the world! Today it has become tyrannical and hated by most of the world. I know this is a sensitive issue for America, but I think it is high time for Serbia, Russia and others to recognize the Republic of Lakota, they have declared themselves "independent" and have sent offers to the world for "recognition". May you have a bright and peaceful future on your historical homeland!

The US and the EU were incompetent in failing to take into account the needs of democratic Serbia and putting its future at risk.

In answering the mono-ethnic aims of the Kosovo Albanians (the cause of the problem in the first place) they have given every justification for anger an resentment - where instead they could have established autonomy and good will. Shame on them.

Ylli

Unfortunately you have to enter on the EU's terms, not your own terms. One of the EU terms is that every EU member agrees with Kosovo's ascension. Do you know that there are EU countries who will not recognize Kosovo, let alone acknowledge membership?

I don't know how many times one has to right the facts and these are either too ignorant or too stupid to understand basic facts.

To JB from Ireland.

Hi, i am from Greece and what you say about Ireland (the country of Rory Galagher!!!)
holds for the Greece too.
Without EU, we would be on the level of Lebanon or Jordania.

The greeks (supposedly old time serb orthodox friends)
while opposed the kosovo UDI,
they saluted EULEX (the illegal EU mission to Kosovo),
because we (the greeks) think of EU as something good by default.
I tried to "educate" many of my countrymen about the kosovo problem, but they just dont understand, til e.g. the turks ask for an independent Thrace!!!

Its like a good kid, loving his father, cause he brings biscuits, and loving him more for bringing more biscuits, but unfortunately father is a full time bank robber and killer.

How can someone convince this kid that his good father is a filthy criminal?