Serbian politicians expect "changes"

One change that would be welcome would be for the new president to tell Munter to pack his bags and go home. The man is really a disaster in the mould of Bush himself

I had planned on sitting this election out because (1) I don't vote Republican, and (2) I didn't want to cast a vote for Joe Biden. Suffice it to say that Sarah Palin cleared my thinking substantially. I voted for Obama today and am optimistic about a much better future.

Here's why: the guy is smart, and he's pragmatic. He learns. No, we won't see any dramatic policy changes regarding Kosovo. But it's unreasonable to expect that we would, at least at this early stage. But what we could see - and, I think, will see - is a different and better approach to foreign policy, starting at the top.

I had the sense four years ago that a Kerry administration would have performed an off-the-shelf installation of the Clinton foreign affairs apparatus - e.g., Richard Holbrooke as Secretary of State. A depressing thought, to say the least. Certainly, I think this is what we would have gotten with a Hillary Clinton win this year.

Obama's approach suggests a willingness to break with the past, both with respect to people (e.g. Holbrooke) and assumptions (e.g. Serbia: Bad, Everyone Else: Good). There won't be drastic changes, as I said, regarding Kosovo policy. But I would expect a new willingness to listen to arguments, to engage, and to treat Serbia as a partner and a modicum of respect. Progress is incremental; and this would be a great opportunity. If Serbia can make itself a serious and committed partner in return, this could be the beginning of a good and productive new chapter in our countries' shared histories.

I really do not expect any change. Bush didn't do this all by himself. The seed was planted during the Clinton administration.

Say hello to the new boss, same as the old boss.

The megalomania of Serbian politicians knows no bounds. Of course there will be a change in the White House! George Bush is not running. There will be no change for Serbia though. Who do you guys thing you are?

i'don't metter who is goin to be next president of us ther will be no changes on be helf of kosovo policy

You expect changes, but no changes towards serbia thats for sure.

Maybe you should start making changes.

Let's hope that US President - Elect Obama will be more transparent and fair to all the stakeholders of the kosovo issue unlike the biased policy of George W. Bush and the current EU Leaders.

The Best solution for Kosovo is still a negotiated settlement between the central goverment in Belgrade and the government in Pristina.

first of all, congratulations for the american people and Senator Obama on his victory, and now let´s just see what will be left from his promises!

as for a change of Kosovo-policy... don´t be naive folks, the change in regard to our southern province won´t come overnight - that will take several years at least.
but it will come, I am quite sure of that. there are several reasons for that.

1st March 2008, note after the illegal and unilateral declaration of independence, then Senator now President Obama wrote a letter to Mirjana Samardzija President of Serbian Unity Congress in Washington. Quote: “Regarding Kosovo, the United States has a continuing responsibility to encourage all parties to seek a peaceful resolution of remaining disputes. As a part of that responsibility, i support and will assist in any way possible dialogue among the parties in Kosovo because I believe that peace and stability there can only truly be ensured by solution that are acceptable to all sides. Even in the absence of mutual agreement, the rights of minorities and the need to protect the historic religious sites to which you refer are non-negotiable issues.”

Clearly from this letter, despite Obamas VP Biden choice, he is not bias or one sided regarding Serbia Kosovo issue. He has clearly identified a need for agreement that suits both sides not just one and a need to protect historic, religious and cultural Serbian sites of which some that are over 700 years old, are unfortunately destroyed in Kosovo by Albanians including irreplaceable and priceless statue of Serbian King Dusan dating around 1300BC. This history monuments and sites are visible evidence that, through the centuries, Kosovo always was very important part of Serbia and that’s exactly why Albanians want it all destroyed...
Obama will follow international law and there will be nothing unique or one off in Kosovo.

===> The seed was planted during the Clinton administration.


The seed was planted during Bush Sr admin. In 1992 they sent Slobo a message: stay away from Kosova or US will intervene militarily. The planes and plans were ready so Slobodan backed off and attacked other places:

"Mr. Bush's warning was delivered on Christmas Day [1992], and Pentagon planners drew up an extensive list of targets -- from key military bases to communications links -- that would be hit if the Serbs did not comply The former Bush Administration official said the United States planned on organizing passage of a resolution by the United Nations Security Council authorizing such action.

When Mr. Clinton took office, he endorsed Mr. Bush's warning on Kosovo but decided to rely on economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure to end the war in Bosnia. "
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7DD113CF936A15757C0A965958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

Clinton also warned him to stay away from Macedonia.

On June 1997, I had the privilege to attend a meeting in the White House with then deputy secretary of state. Before the meeting we were told that we would discuss for an hour, they were so eager to listen to us, thus we were given extra time. We expressed our concerns regarding the Belgrade’s oppression toward Albanians. Guess what? We were told that the American policy is not run on a daily basis politics, and that we had to be patient, and wait, until they’d get the evidence needed, then they would start to work towards imposing economic sanctions and arms embargo.
We were also told that since the George Bush’s senior cabinet they were monitoring the situation, and that George Bush warned Serbia by drawing a red line on Kosova.
Without elaborating further on this, as you might know, Rambouillet, and shuttle diplomacy to try to convince Milosevic were in vain, then the bombing came about, and now we have free and independent Kosova.
What I am trying to say here is that the U.S policy is not run on a daily basis and will carry on no matter who becomes president in the United States. Besides Joe Biden is the vice president, who was the fiercest advocate for freedom of Albanians. It will be naïve to even consider that this new administration would change course, and policy towards Serbia, and rightfully so. Serbia still continues to try to deceive the world for the atrocities committed in Kosova and other parts of former Yugoslavia.
Vuk Jeremic should know that he has to work through several U.S presidencies to change what is for now set on stone, and that is if we Albanians fall asleep in meantime.
You cannot blackmail the west and the U.S any longer like during the cold war and recently that you would side with Russia, if your dreams are not fulfilled. Those times are long gone. Those times when you were playing the Russian card, does not hold water anymore, the times when you were pampered by the west and U.S, and privileged because you were a stop sign for the communism not to spread any further in Europe. You served your purpose.
Therefore the best thing for Serbia is to give up the false dream that Kosova will be back under Serbian rule again, admit the atrocities committed by its army in Kosova and commit to peaceful coexistence with its neighbors, for the sake of a better life for the generations to come, in the name of peace and prosperity for the region that has been torn apart from wars.
Peace to all peace loving people.

i'don't metter who is goin to be next president of us ther will be no changes on be helf of kosovo policy

You expect changes, but no changes towards serbia thats for sure.

Maybe you should start making changes.

One change that would be welcome would be for the new president to tell Munter to pack his bags and go home. The man is really a disaster in the mould of Bush himself

On June 1997, I had the privilege to attend a meeting in the White House with then deputy secretary of state. Before the meeting we were told that we would discuss for an hour, they were so eager to listen to us, thus we were given extra time. We expressed our concerns regarding the Belgrade’s oppression toward Albanians. Guess what? We were told that the American policy is not run on a daily basis politics, and that we had to be patient, and wait, until they’d get the evidence needed, then they would start to work towards imposing economic sanctions and arms embargo.
We were also told that since the George Bush’s senior cabinet they were monitoring the situation, and that George Bush warned Serbia by drawing a red line on Kosova.
Without elaborating further on this, as you might know, Rambouillet, and shuttle diplomacy to try to convince Milosevic were in vain, then the bombing came about, and now we have free and independent Kosova.
What I am trying to say here is that the U.S policy is not run on a daily basis and will carry on no matter who becomes president in the United States. Besides Joe Biden is the vice president, who was the fiercest advocate for freedom of Albanians. It will be naïve to even consider that this new administration would change course, and policy towards Serbia, and rightfully so. Serbia still continues to try to deceive the world for the atrocities committed in Kosova and other parts of former Yugoslavia.
Vuk Jeremic should know that he has to work through several U.S presidencies to change what is for now set on stone, and that is if we Albanians fall asleep in meantime.
You cannot blackmail the west and the U.S any longer like during the cold war and recently that you would side with Russia, if your dreams are not fulfilled. Those times are long gone. Those times when you were playing the Russian card, does not hold water anymore, the times when you were pampered by the west and U.S, and privileged because you were a stop sign for the communism not to spread any further in Europe. You served your purpose.
Therefore the best thing for Serbia is to give up the false dream that Kosova will be back under Serbian rule again, admit the atrocities committed by its army in Kosova and commit to peaceful coexistence with its neighbors, for the sake of a better life for the generations to come, in the name of peace and prosperity for the region that has been torn apart from wars.
Peace to all peace loving people.

I had planned on sitting this election out because (1) I don't vote Republican, and (2) I didn't want to cast a vote for Joe Biden. Suffice it to say that Sarah Palin cleared my thinking substantially. I voted for Obama today and am optimistic about a much better future.

Here's why: the guy is smart, and he's pragmatic. He learns. No, we won't see any dramatic policy changes regarding Kosovo. But it's unreasonable to expect that we would, at least at this early stage. But what we could see - and, I think, will see - is a different and better approach to foreign policy, starting at the top.

I had the sense four years ago that a Kerry administration would have performed an off-the-shelf installation of the Clinton foreign affairs apparatus - e.g., Richard Holbrooke as Secretary of State. A depressing thought, to say the least. Certainly, I think this is what we would have gotten with a Hillary Clinton win this year.

Obama's approach suggests a willingness to break with the past, both with respect to people (e.g. Holbrooke) and assumptions (e.g. Serbia: Bad, Everyone Else: Good). There won't be drastic changes, as I said, regarding Kosovo policy. But I would expect a new willingness to listen to arguments, to engage, and to treat Serbia as a partner and a modicum of respect. Progress is incremental; and this would be a great opportunity. If Serbia can make itself a serious and committed partner in return, this could be the beginning of a good and productive new chapter in our countries' shared histories.

Say hello to the new boss, same as the old boss.

I really do not expect any change. Bush didn't do this all by himself. The seed was planted during the Clinton administration.

The megalomania of Serbian politicians knows no bounds. Of course there will be a change in the White House! George Bush is not running. There will be no change for Serbia though. Who do you guys thing you are?

Let's hope that US President - Elect Obama will be more transparent and fair to all the stakeholders of the kosovo issue unlike the biased policy of George W. Bush and the current EU Leaders.

The Best solution for Kosovo is still a negotiated settlement between the central goverment in Belgrade and the government in Pristina.

first of all, congratulations for the american people and Senator Obama on his victory, and now let´s just see what will be left from his promises!

as for a change of Kosovo-policy... don´t be naive folks, the change in regard to our southern province won´t come overnight - that will take several years at least.
but it will come, I am quite sure of that. there are several reasons for that.

===> The seed was planted during the Clinton administration.


The seed was planted during Bush Sr admin. In 1992 they sent Slobo a message: stay away from Kosova or US will intervene militarily. The planes and plans were ready so Slobodan backed off and attacked other places:

"Mr. Bush's warning was delivered on Christmas Day [1992], and Pentagon planners drew up an extensive list of targets -- from key military bases to communications links -- that would be hit if the Serbs did not comply The former Bush Administration official said the United States planned on organizing passage of a resolution by the United Nations Security Council authorizing such action.

When Mr. Clinton took office, he endorsed Mr. Bush's warning on Kosovo but decided to rely on economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure to end the war in Bosnia. "
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE7DD113CF936A15757C0A965958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

Clinton also warned him to stay away from Macedonia.

1st March 2008, note after the illegal and unilateral declaration of independence, then Senator now President Obama wrote a letter to Mirjana Samardzija President of Serbian Unity Congress in Washington. Quote: “Regarding Kosovo, the United States has a continuing responsibility to encourage all parties to seek a peaceful resolution of remaining disputes. As a part of that responsibility, i support and will assist in any way possible dialogue among the parties in Kosovo because I believe that peace and stability there can only truly be ensured by solution that are acceptable to all sides. Even in the absence of mutual agreement, the rights of minorities and the need to protect the historic religious sites to which you refer are non-negotiable issues.”

Clearly from this letter, despite Obamas VP Biden choice, he is not bias or one sided regarding Serbia Kosovo issue. He has clearly identified a need for agreement that suits both sides not just one and a need to protect historic, religious and cultural Serbian sites of which some that are over 700 years old, are unfortunately destroyed in Kosovo by Albanians including irreplaceable and priceless statue of Serbian King Dusan dating around 1300BC. This history monuments and sites are visible evidence that, through the centuries, Kosovo always was very important part of Serbia and that’s exactly why Albanians want it all destroyed...
Obama will follow international law and there will be nothing unique or one off in Kosovo.