UNMIK chief to visit Belgrade

A couple of points on the article.


> Commenting the announced Zannier visit after a new government is elected, this ethnic Albanian official said that "no one can negotiate with any other country in the name of Kosovo".

This comment was made in response to Zannier's forthcoming trip to Belgrade in order to get the negotiations underway between Belgrade & pristina on UN SG Ban's reconfiguration proposal for UNMIK.

Under that proposal, Zannier is basically, to act as a messenger between the two sides.

A reasonable work-around given that Belgrade does not recognise pristina, & pristina does not accept the authority of Belgrade.

One would have thought so anyway.

That is, if one is reasonable.


> Also today, the man heading the EU mission that looks to take over from UNMIK, Yves de Kermabon said that EULEX will report to Brussels.

> This mission "will not be under the umbrella of the United Nations", Tanjug news agency quoted him as saying.

Ban specifically said otherwise in his proposal for the reconfiguration of UNMIK.

Careful with the rhetoric 'Kermabon', EULEX still hasn't got the go-ahead from the UN.

And until it has, spitting in the face of the UN SG is not a good idea.

Nothing has been decided.

And until it is, EULEX is about as legitimate as the 'authorities' in pristina.

Interesting observations Peter. Here's a few more I found.

Did you notice that amid all the negotiations, hand-wriggling, shuttle diplomacy and spoils distriubution that the two main players continue to be UNMIK and the EU? Somewhere in the growing cacophany of voices are officials from Pristina trying to shout over louder voices basically saying "I'm important".

This is important to note because regardless of whatever Pristina or Belgrade thinks now, UNMIK and EULEX are going to do their own thing. UNMIK is going to meet with Belgrade, much to the chagrin of Sejdiu and the others. And EULEX is going to lay the foundations for its own Mandate in Albanian sectors despite the now symbolic protests from Belgrade.

Most importantly we find, to no one's surprise, that "EULEX will report to Brussels". Not to Pristina, which makes one wonder whether anyone reports to Pristina, or whether Pristina reports to everyone else.

And finally, we find an impending bureaucratic showdown between EULEX and UNMIK when it comes to institution building in Serb sectors. Something tells me that before the proverbial day is done, a number of compromises will be made with Mitrovica to get EULEX on board, and if that means accepting the now apparent UN-supported Serb Assembly, then so be it.

Eurocrats are notorious for compromise-to-the-point-of-watering-down. Particularly if they now want to make nice with a pro-EU government in BG.

I noticed the following statement in the article
“We are ready to talk with Serbia and all other neighbouring countries about all questions as two independent and sovereign countries,” said Kuci.

This is quite a pickle, if UDI Kosovo recognizes Serbia's sovereignty it puts into question its own udi- sovereignty and If Serbia recognizes UDI Kosovo's sovereignty it puts into question its own sovereignty.

Today, if negotiations were to start with the Snake in Pristina and the DS Serpent in Belgrade, The UDI side would have nothing to gain and the Serbian submissionist Parliament would have everything to gain but no international leverage. In other words, if Thaci gave anything away, his supporters would abandon him and if Tadic gave anything else, his banana parliamentary coalition would crumble under the weight of its own shame.

Unfortunately for the People in this area, regardless of ethnicity, there is no political will for stability and the technical considerations as well as broader considerations will not be considered until both sides have something to gain and some leverage to achieve it. This is perhaps many years away and UDI will remain the EU’s still birth and Tadic’s Serbia will remain impotent in its own affairs and perhaps defacto amputated

A couple of points on the article.


> Commenting the announced Zannier visit after a new government is elected, this ethnic Albanian official said that "no one can negotiate with any other country in the name of Kosovo".

This comment was made in response to Zannier's forthcoming trip to Belgrade in order to get the negotiations underway between Belgrade & pristina on UN SG Ban's reconfiguration proposal for UNMIK.

Under that proposal, Zannier is basically, to act as a messenger between the two sides.

A reasonable work-around given that Belgrade does not recognise pristina, & pristina does not accept the authority of Belgrade.

One would have thought so anyway.

That is, if one is reasonable.


> Also today, the man heading the EU mission that looks to take over from UNMIK, Yves de Kermabon said that EULEX will report to Brussels.

> This mission "will not be under the umbrella of the United Nations", Tanjug news agency quoted him as saying.

Ban specifically said otherwise in his proposal for the reconfiguration of UNMIK.

Careful with the rhetoric 'Kermabon', EULEX still hasn't got the go-ahead from the UN.

And until it has, spitting in the face of the UN SG is not a good idea.

Nothing has been decided.

And until it is, EULEX is about as legitimate as the 'authorities' in pristina.

Interesting observations Peter. Here's a few more I found.

Did you notice that amid all the negotiations, hand-wriggling, shuttle diplomacy and spoils distriubution that the two main players continue to be UNMIK and the EU? Somewhere in the growing cacophany of voices are officials from Pristina trying to shout over louder voices basically saying "I'm important".

This is important to note because regardless of whatever Pristina or Belgrade thinks now, UNMIK and EULEX are going to do their own thing. UNMIK is going to meet with Belgrade, much to the chagrin of Sejdiu and the others. And EULEX is going to lay the foundations for its own Mandate in Albanian sectors despite the now symbolic protests from Belgrade.

Most importantly we find, to no one's surprise, that "EULEX will report to Brussels". Not to Pristina, which makes one wonder whether anyone reports to Pristina, or whether Pristina reports to everyone else.

And finally, we find an impending bureaucratic showdown between EULEX and UNMIK when it comes to institution building in Serb sectors. Something tells me that before the proverbial day is done, a number of compromises will be made with Mitrovica to get EULEX on board, and if that means accepting the now apparent UN-supported Serb Assembly, then so be it.

Eurocrats are notorious for compromise-to-the-point-of-watering-down. Particularly if they now want to make nice with a pro-EU government in BG.

I noticed the following statement in the article
“We are ready to talk with Serbia and all other neighbouring countries about all questions as two independent and sovereign countries,” said Kuci.

This is quite a pickle, if UDI Kosovo recognizes Serbia's sovereignty it puts into question its own udi- sovereignty and If Serbia recognizes UDI Kosovo's sovereignty it puts into question its own sovereignty.

Today, if negotiations were to start with the Snake in Pristina and the DS Serpent in Belgrade, The UDI side would have nothing to gain and the Serbian submissionist Parliament would have everything to gain but no international leverage. In other words, if Thaci gave anything away, his supporters would abandon him and if Tadic gave anything else, his banana parliamentary coalition would crumble under the weight of its own shame.

Unfortunately for the People in this area, regardless of ethnicity, there is no political will for stability and the technical considerations as well as broader considerations will not be considered until both sides have something to gain and some leverage to achieve it. This is perhaps many years away and UDI will remain the EU’s still birth and Tadic’s Serbia will remain impotent in its own affairs and perhaps defacto amputated