EC: Serbian EULEX conditions accepted

This is a great victory for the Serbian diplomacy.

Mr. Hyseni you should learn from Mr. Jeremic. To this day I am amazed that you are still sitting in your position as FM of Kosovo. Firing you would not be enough for the stupidity and the damage that you caused to the Kosovar side.

EULEX was supposed to have deployed all over Kosovo and enforce the Ahtisari plan. The Serbian diplomacy derailed that plan and now EULEX is nothing more than a replacement of UNMIK. Another bureaucratic body without a clear set of goals! This will not be an easy pill to swallow by the Albanian population in Kosovo. UNMIK was there for eight years and it did nothing to improve the lives of citizens of Kosovo. Its stole billions of dollars and finally it is leaving Kosovo holding an empty bag. If I had worked for UNMIK I would be embarrassed that eight years after the war ended and billions of dollars spent – Kosovo still does not have a running water and electricity. Is this what Kosovars are getting now? Another corrupt organization without responsibility for its actions and full authority to veto elected officials!

The Kosovar politicians must be aware that they are walking a tight rope and if there is no improvement of living conditions in Kosovo soon Kosovo will be emptied out. Kosovo citizens don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. There are no jobs and no perspective in the future. Kosovo citizens are sick of hearing about rule of law. Kosovo has rule of law. It does not have mechanisms to properly execute the rules it has on its books and to fight organized crime. To fight the organized crime you need resources, professional services and you sure cant do it by paying your local prosecutors and judges 200 euros a month.

Why should there be any acceptance on the part of Serbia for EULEX to impose any Pristina laws in the north?

It is the Belgrade constitution for Kosovo that counts for Serbia - not the UDI constitution.

I am surprised that it is even contemplated to allow EULEX into the north. Serbia should not sell its soul to satisfy the heavy handed EU politicians.

These are not the days of Milosevic - he has gone. Unless Belgrade votes that Kosovo is specifically allowed to leave Serbia, it is still a province bound by resolution 1244.

There are many Serbs (who will always be Serbs) who have been driven out of Kosovo by Albanian ethnic cleansing that predated Milosevic. Are they going to go back to so-called 'multiethnic' Kosovo under a different citizenship? EULEX will not impose or encourage a multiethnic society - they will cement the fulfilment of the monoethnic ambitions of the Kosovo Albanians who for decades have been driving out Serbs.

The EU should back-off and rethink - and certainly stop trying to play a heavy hand. Serbia should not give up its self respect for the thirty pieces of silver on offer.

Viti i Balit - it's just a debate based on a proposal from some unknown and frustrated Dutch and German eurocrats. Such a debate would probably be a good thing for the EP, because it may silence those Europeans who think that Belgrade should be 'forced' to accept EULEX and the A plan.

That idea would be disastrous in terms of relations and regional security, plus a further corrosion of international law.

Hardly the brightest solution on the table - a negotiated settlement is what's needed. This proposal is totally out of line with the current positions of the EC and the UN.

I've been reading these posts for a while now and we are not getting anywhere. Kosovo is neither independent nor a part of Serbia, it's somewhere in between. This is a mess that will remain a mess for many years to come. It's a lot like Cyprus I guess, split between the Greeks and the Turks. Maybe in 100 years we will be closer to knowing to whom Kosovo belongs. Clearly, for now, Kosovo is NOT independent. How can it be independent if only 52 countries recognize it? How can it be, I ask? It's impossible. However, it's clearly not a part of Serbia any more. Nor does Serbia really want it in my belief. There is only one solution, a just division of Kosovo. Stop being fools and get together and work on a division.

Well it now appears that legitimizing EULEX is the most critical thing for the West over pleasing potentates in Pristina. If it meant appeasing Belgrade in order to get a compromise, they seemed willing to do it.

"This is a great victory for the Serbian diplomacy."

Is it? Haha. This is a win in name only to fool the Serbs: Ahtisaari plan will be implemented and Kosova laws enforced in 100% of the territory. The Kosova army will be ready in 2009 as well. Small but an army nontheless. How is that w win? In the next few years they will state the obvious that Serbia has to recognize Kosova or no EU.

>>>> "Unless Belgrade votes that Kosovo is specifically allowed to leave Serbia, it is still a province bound by resolution 1244."

Milosevic is gone and so is Kosova, recognized by 52 nations and about 80% of NATO /EU members, without asking Belgrade. Milosevic was only the latest one implementing Serbia's policy on Albanians so it doesn't matter if he is gone or not.

Pretty strong support from European parliament for so called,pretend independence as some of you sometimes like to put it.EULEX all over Kosova to make sure there is no partition,that's pretty strong language.

I find it strange and ironic that there is so much discord and malcontent about this EULEX thing. What EVERYONE should begin to realize is that the EU MUST have EULEX deployed in Kosovo because the K-Albanians are INCAPABLE and UNWILLING to administer true justice and peace to their serb neighbors. The only way for Kosovo to be the "beacon of freedom" and "unprecedented Guaranteed minority rights" that the K-Albanians here always claim is for the EU backers of Kosovo Dependence to provide ALL of the required LAW and ORDER elements of society for the province.
The EU knows that given the opportunity K-Albanians will run amuck and cleanse/repress serbs and other minorities to their hearts content; that's why they need to preemptively put a stop to it by taking over the reigns of justice from the Albanians. Let's face it, serbs weren't angels in the past, however, K-Albanians are not aspiring to do much better either.
Hmmm... maybe when the OHR closes in Bosnia they can open it up in Kosovo!! That way noone will be happy in Kosovo.

I found most comments here very interesting and its always refershing to hear different views from the 'same' camp.

I'm not sure what to make of this as yet, but I am wondering if this diplomatic victory from Serbia of sorts will be accompanied by another sweetie from the EU.

A day or so before this agreement Jeremic was complaining that the EU was pushing too hard on the Hague co-operation issue. He stated that the transitional EU trade agreement should be signed.

Of course in the big picture these are all scraps even if these minor victories are scored.

Still, I have to say that this government, in its first few months scored more diplomatic victories on the Kosovo issue than Milosevic did in ten years.

What damage Milosevic did to us all.

If EULEX gets its foot in the door the door will come off its hinges. Their will be no end of their unlawful demands they will increase.They will blame the Serbs for everything if their unrelenting demands are not met. Think wisely and care fully they are not your freinds most of them are very vindictive users nations in the EU.

"Milosevic is gone and so is Kosova, recognized by 52 nations and about 80% of NATO /EU members, without asking Belgrade. "

Yes we know.. this is called american diplomacy, meaning, "we are america and we are god of this earth and we can do whatever we want -attitude."

It doesn't matter if the whole world recognizes KiM, we know what is ours and that you are trying to steal it.

nato is trying to create the first ever nato state.

A couple of years ago US/Europe bombed Serbia. Today they are begging Serbia to save US/Europe from the mess it created in Kosovo. How belieavable is US/Europes recognition of Kosovo if they have to go to Belgrade for help in sulving Kosovos problems? The West will not risk another war and a mass exodus of people. The West also knows that the various parts of Kosovo will belong to two different people. Albanians can't force serbs to join albanian institutions and the serbs can't make kosovoalbanians become part of Serbia. In other words the partition of Kosovo is a fact. NATO is there to protect this division, just like they are doing in Bosnia. On paper it will be a face saver and look lide EULEX got what it wanted but in reality partition is the end result of this mess.

To the "enthusiasts" of Jeremic's diplomatic victory, please note that whichever way you look at it EULEX was born by Ahtisaari plan. The discussions are only part of practical solution to avoid confrontation ONLY IN THE NORTH OF KOSOVA. Rest assure that after EULEX is deployed, the north will still be part of Kosova which is a recognized country by those who matter. To those that say Serbs will never allow themselves be ruled by Albanians, just look a little further how this is done. Albanians in Presevo are allowing themselves to be ruled by Serbs. The parallelism will always be alive thus make no mistake: partitioning of Kosova will open "pandora box" for Serbia. Serbs in the Norh can have autonomy within int. recognized borders of Kosova. K-Albanians already have compromised enough by creating a new country for all the people living in, and not joining Albania. If Serbs are asking for pure ethnic division, then so be it with other parts of Serbia too. This will never work but the arguments/counter-arguments duo will always be there for blocking each other claims.
At the end the fact that Belgrade is involved in these discussions means nothing. Belgrade was also involved for quite a long time with status negotiations just to come out as the losing party.

What a load of myopic, narrow-minded regurgitated propaganda written above - by both sides.

Please B92, start an Albanian language service to keep this clutter away.

Here's what needs to happen: Since there is no Ahtissari Plan the United States needs to VETO a new resolution on the 11th. That way George Bush can say "I tried" and then give the problem back to Clinton and Obama to solve. They started the mess to begin with.

Bob #4
If you want to quote 1244 you have to use it all. Which means that the goal is to set up an autonmous govt, meaning with their own system of laws outside of that of Serbia throughout all of Kosovo.
Mike#5, Observer#6
Serbia really brought EULEX to their knees.
EULEX will get UNSC approval (Russia has always said if Belgrade agrees it will vote in favor)
EULEX will be status neutral (announced in May due to the fact that all EU countries have not recognized Kosovo independence)
EULEX will not implement the Ahtissari Plan (It was never EULEX duty to implement it. EULEX was created as a product of the Ahtissari plan to "supervise" the police and justice system of Kosovo.

But hey if you are happy, Kosovo is happy, the UNSC is happy, EU is happy, US is happy. We are one big happy family.

Observer I totally agree with you 100%
cheers mate
nothing more to say.

Observer - I couldn't agree more with you!

I would add, if the Serbs and Kosovars are not willing to live together, should they be forced to? I mean if we as Kosovars strived for self-determination, shouldn't we understand that the Serbs of Kosovo would want the same? Notwithstanding that the discrimination of Serbs in Kosovo is not comparable to that of the Kosovars over a centry long.

I believe that Serbs in Kosovo should be given the right that any minority in any country should ough to have: choose by a democratic referendum if they want to stay within Kosovo in a loose federation or become a third weel in the Serbian state that has never shown any care for them as people but has only seen them to advance political laverage of elites in Belgrade. Having said that, the choice should be made by Kosovo Serbs not Vuk Jeremic and his like - I do honestly belive though that in the long run - Serbs in Kosovo would be much better off than in Serbia - but this is a choice only they can decide on.

I'm glad that a compromise was made and that eulex will not employ the ahtisarri plan.

"Good" for Serbia. Eulex in whole territory of Kosova. Serbia will continue not have any authority as a sovereign country over Kosova and does not have to implement Ahtisari plan when it comes to minority right. Exactely same rights for Serbs in Kosova to the Abanians living in Presevá Bujanovc and Medvegja. Full stop!

>>> "A couple of years ago US/Europe bombed Serbia. Today they are begging Serbia to save US/Europe from the mess it created in Kosovo. How belieavable is US/Europes recognition of Kosovo if they have to go to Belgrade for help in sulving Kosovos problems? The West will not risk another war and a mass exodus of people. The West also knows that the various parts of Kosovo will belong to two different people. Albanians can't force serbs to join albanian institutions and the serbs can't make kosovoalbanians become part of Serbia. In other words the partition of Kosovo is a fact. NATO is there to protect this division, just like they are doing in Bosnia."

1. There is no division, EULEX knows what happened in Bosnia and will not let it happen again. One set of laws passed by the Kosova parliament for now enforced by EULEX and later by Albanian, K-Serb and others. In Bosnia they have different laws, different parliaments, different police...a nightmare for EU. Not in Kosova.

2. No one is begging Serbia. Serbia needs EU for membership and economic support and was given an ultimatum since 27/27 support EULEX. They made it look like Serbia won so Serbian nationalists fall for it.

3. What EU 'agreed' to is irrelevant. Once in, they will do whatever they want, how will Serbia stop them? They can't, US, UK and France have vetoes. By the way, Kosova's army is part of Ahtisaari so EULEX will just rename his plan as EULEXUS :-)

4. Wars are done, the Albanians in FYROM will stay there, those in Eastern Kosova (Presevo Valley) too will function in a Serbian state, just as Serbs in Kosova will submit to the laws of Kosova. If Serbs in the North start trouble, Serbs will be seen as troublemakers and EU /NATO will not allow any conflict because the Albanians in Presevo might follow them, Sandxak etc.

So yes, Serbs 'won.'

"This is a great victory for the Serbian diplomacy."

Is it? Haha. This is a win in name only to fool the Serbs: Ahtisaari plan will be implemented and Kosova laws enforced in 100% of the territory. The Kosova army will be ready in 2009 as well. Small but an army nontheless. How is that w win? In the next few years they will state the obvious that Serbia has to recognize Kosova or no EU.

>>>> "Unless Belgrade votes that Kosovo is specifically allowed to leave Serbia, it is still a province bound by resolution 1244."

Milosevic is gone and so is Kosova, recognized by 52 nations and about 80% of NATO /EU members, without asking Belgrade. Milosevic was only the latest one implementing Serbia's policy on Albanians so it doesn't matter if he is gone or not.

Pretty strong support from European parliament for so called,pretend independence as some of you sometimes like to put it.EULEX all over Kosova to make sure there is no partition,that's pretty strong language.

Why should there be any acceptance on the part of Serbia for EULEX to impose any Pristina laws in the north?

It is the Belgrade constitution for Kosovo that counts for Serbia - not the UDI constitution.

I am surprised that it is even contemplated to allow EULEX into the north. Serbia should not sell its soul to satisfy the heavy handed EU politicians.

These are not the days of Milosevic - he has gone. Unless Belgrade votes that Kosovo is specifically allowed to leave Serbia, it is still a province bound by resolution 1244.

There are many Serbs (who will always be Serbs) who have been driven out of Kosovo by Albanian ethnic cleansing that predated Milosevic. Are they going to go back to so-called 'multiethnic' Kosovo under a different citizenship? EULEX will not impose or encourage a multiethnic society - they will cement the fulfilment of the monoethnic ambitions of the Kosovo Albanians who for decades have been driving out Serbs.

The EU should back-off and rethink - and certainly stop trying to play a heavy hand. Serbia should not give up its self respect for the thirty pieces of silver on offer.

Viti i Balit - it's just a debate based on a proposal from some unknown and frustrated Dutch and German eurocrats. Such a debate would probably be a good thing for the EP, because it may silence those Europeans who think that Belgrade should be 'forced' to accept EULEX and the A plan.

That idea would be disastrous in terms of relations and regional security, plus a further corrosion of international law.

Hardly the brightest solution on the table - a negotiated settlement is what's needed. This proposal is totally out of line with the current positions of the EC and the UN.

"Good" for Serbia. Eulex in whole territory of Kosova. Serbia will continue not have any authority as a sovereign country over Kosova and does not have to implement Ahtisari plan when it comes to minority right. Exactely same rights for Serbs in Kosova to the Abanians living in Presevá Bujanovc and Medvegja. Full stop!

>>> "A couple of years ago US/Europe bombed Serbia. Today they are begging Serbia to save US/Europe from the mess it created in Kosovo. How belieavable is US/Europes recognition of Kosovo if they have to go to Belgrade for help in sulving Kosovos problems? The West will not risk another war and a mass exodus of people. The West also knows that the various parts of Kosovo will belong to two different people. Albanians can't force serbs to join albanian institutions and the serbs can't make kosovoalbanians become part of Serbia. In other words the partition of Kosovo is a fact. NATO is there to protect this division, just like they are doing in Bosnia."

1. There is no division, EULEX knows what happened in Bosnia and will not let it happen again. One set of laws passed by the Kosova parliament for now enforced by EULEX and later by Albanian, K-Serb and others. In Bosnia they have different laws, different parliaments, different police...a nightmare for EU. Not in Kosova.

2. No one is begging Serbia. Serbia needs EU for membership and economic support and was given an ultimatum since 27/27 support EULEX. They made it look like Serbia won so Serbian nationalists fall for it.

3. What EU 'agreed' to is irrelevant. Once in, they will do whatever they want, how will Serbia stop them? They can't, US, UK and France have vetoes. By the way, Kosova's army is part of Ahtisaari so EULEX will just rename his plan as EULEXUS :-)

4. Wars are done, the Albanians in FYROM will stay there, those in Eastern Kosova (Presevo Valley) too will function in a Serbian state, just as Serbs in Kosova will submit to the laws of Kosova. If Serbs in the North start trouble, Serbs will be seen as troublemakers and EU /NATO will not allow any conflict because the Albanians in Presevo might follow them, Sandxak etc.

So yes, Serbs 'won.'

I find it strange and ironic that there is so much discord and malcontent about this EULEX thing. What EVERYONE should begin to realize is that the EU MUST have EULEX deployed in Kosovo because the K-Albanians are INCAPABLE and UNWILLING to administer true justice and peace to their serb neighbors. The only way for Kosovo to be the "beacon of freedom" and "unprecedented Guaranteed minority rights" that the K-Albanians here always claim is for the EU backers of Kosovo Dependence to provide ALL of the required LAW and ORDER elements of society for the province.
The EU knows that given the opportunity K-Albanians will run amuck and cleanse/repress serbs and other minorities to their hearts content; that's why they need to preemptively put a stop to it by taking over the reigns of justice from the Albanians. Let's face it, serbs weren't angels in the past, however, K-Albanians are not aspiring to do much better either.
Hmmm... maybe when the OHR closes in Bosnia they can open it up in Kosovo!! That way noone will be happy in Kosovo.

Well it now appears that legitimizing EULEX is the most critical thing for the West over pleasing potentates in Pristina. If it meant appeasing Belgrade in order to get a compromise, they seemed willing to do it.

To the "enthusiasts" of Jeremic's diplomatic victory, please note that whichever way you look at it EULEX was born by Ahtisaari plan. The discussions are only part of practical solution to avoid confrontation ONLY IN THE NORTH OF KOSOVA. Rest assure that after EULEX is deployed, the north will still be part of Kosova which is a recognized country by those who matter. To those that say Serbs will never allow themselves be ruled by Albanians, just look a little further how this is done. Albanians in Presevo are allowing themselves to be ruled by Serbs. The parallelism will always be alive thus make no mistake: partitioning of Kosova will open "pandora box" for Serbia. Serbs in the Norh can have autonomy within int. recognized borders of Kosova. K-Albanians already have compromised enough by creating a new country for all the people living in, and not joining Albania. If Serbs are asking for pure ethnic division, then so be it with other parts of Serbia too. This will never work but the arguments/counter-arguments duo will always be there for blocking each other claims.
At the end the fact that Belgrade is involved in these discussions means nothing. Belgrade was also involved for quite a long time with status negotiations just to come out as the losing party.

"Milosevic is gone and so is Kosova, recognized by 52 nations and about 80% of NATO /EU members, without asking Belgrade. "

Yes we know.. this is called american diplomacy, meaning, "we are america and we are god of this earth and we can do whatever we want -attitude."

It doesn't matter if the whole world recognizes KiM, we know what is ours and that you are trying to steal it.

nato is trying to create the first ever nato state.

What a load of myopic, narrow-minded regurgitated propaganda written above - by both sides.

Please B92, start an Albanian language service to keep this clutter away.

This is a great victory for the Serbian diplomacy.

Mr. Hyseni you should learn from Mr. Jeremic. To this day I am amazed that you are still sitting in your position as FM of Kosovo. Firing you would not be enough for the stupidity and the damage that you caused to the Kosovar side.

EULEX was supposed to have deployed all over Kosovo and enforce the Ahtisari plan. The Serbian diplomacy derailed that plan and now EULEX is nothing more than a replacement of UNMIK. Another bureaucratic body without a clear set of goals! This will not be an easy pill to swallow by the Albanian population in Kosovo. UNMIK was there for eight years and it did nothing to improve the lives of citizens of Kosovo. Its stole billions of dollars and finally it is leaving Kosovo holding an empty bag. If I had worked for UNMIK I would be embarrassed that eight years after the war ended and billions of dollars spent – Kosovo still does not have a running water and electricity. Is this what Kosovars are getting now? Another corrupt organization without responsibility for its actions and full authority to veto elected officials!

The Kosovar politicians must be aware that they are walking a tight rope and if there is no improvement of living conditions in Kosovo soon Kosovo will be emptied out. Kosovo citizens don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. There are no jobs and no perspective in the future. Kosovo citizens are sick of hearing about rule of law. Kosovo has rule of law. It does not have mechanisms to properly execute the rules it has on its books and to fight organized crime. To fight the organized crime you need resources, professional services and you sure cant do it by paying your local prosecutors and judges 200 euros a month.

A couple of years ago US/Europe bombed Serbia. Today they are begging Serbia to save US/Europe from the mess it created in Kosovo. How belieavable is US/Europes recognition of Kosovo if they have to go to Belgrade for help in sulving Kosovos problems? The West will not risk another war and a mass exodus of people. The West also knows that the various parts of Kosovo will belong to two different people. Albanians can't force serbs to join albanian institutions and the serbs can't make kosovoalbanians become part of Serbia. In other words the partition of Kosovo is a fact. NATO is there to protect this division, just like they are doing in Bosnia. On paper it will be a face saver and look lide EULEX got what it wanted but in reality partition is the end result of this mess.

Observer - I couldn't agree more with you!

I would add, if the Serbs and Kosovars are not willing to live together, should they be forced to? I mean if we as Kosovars strived for self-determination, shouldn't we understand that the Serbs of Kosovo would want the same? Notwithstanding that the discrimination of Serbs in Kosovo is not comparable to that of the Kosovars over a centry long.

I believe that Serbs in Kosovo should be given the right that any minority in any country should ough to have: choose by a democratic referendum if they want to stay within Kosovo in a loose federation or become a third weel in the Serbian state that has never shown any care for them as people but has only seen them to advance political laverage of elites in Belgrade. Having said that, the choice should be made by Kosovo Serbs not Vuk Jeremic and his like - I do honestly belive though that in the long run - Serbs in Kosovo would be much better off than in Serbia - but this is a choice only they can decide on.

I found most comments here very interesting and its always refershing to hear different views from the 'same' camp.

I'm not sure what to make of this as yet, but I am wondering if this diplomatic victory from Serbia of sorts will be accompanied by another sweetie from the EU.

A day or so before this agreement Jeremic was complaining that the EU was pushing too hard on the Hague co-operation issue. He stated that the transitional EU trade agreement should be signed.

Of course in the big picture these are all scraps even if these minor victories are scored.

Still, I have to say that this government, in its first few months scored more diplomatic victories on the Kosovo issue than Milosevic did in ten years.

What damage Milosevic did to us all.

Bob #4
If you want to quote 1244 you have to use it all. Which means that the goal is to set up an autonmous govt, meaning with their own system of laws outside of that of Serbia throughout all of Kosovo.
Mike#5, Observer#6
Serbia really brought EULEX to their knees.
EULEX will get UNSC approval (Russia has always said if Belgrade agrees it will vote in favor)
EULEX will be status neutral (announced in May due to the fact that all EU countries have not recognized Kosovo independence)
EULEX will not implement the Ahtissari Plan (It was never EULEX duty to implement it. EULEX was created as a product of the Ahtissari plan to "supervise" the police and justice system of Kosovo.

But hey if you are happy, Kosovo is happy, the UNSC is happy, EU is happy, US is happy. We are one big happy family.

If EULEX gets its foot in the door the door will come off its hinges. Their will be no end of their unlawful demands they will increase.They will blame the Serbs for everything if their unrelenting demands are not met. Think wisely and care fully they are not your freinds most of them are very vindictive users nations in the EU.

Observer I totally agree with you 100%
cheers mate
nothing more to say.

I'm glad that a compromise was made and that eulex will not employ the ahtisarri plan.

I've been reading these posts for a while now and we are not getting anywhere. Kosovo is neither independent nor a part of Serbia, it's somewhere in between. This is a mess that will remain a mess for many years to come. It's a lot like Cyprus I guess, split between the Greeks and the Turks. Maybe in 100 years we will be closer to knowing to whom Kosovo belongs. Clearly, for now, Kosovo is NOT independent. How can it be independent if only 52 countries recognize it? How can it be, I ask? It's impossible. However, it's clearly not a part of Serbia any more. Nor does Serbia really want it in my belief. There is only one solution, a just division of Kosovo. Stop being fools and get together and work on a division.

Here's what needs to happen: Since there is no Ahtissari Plan the United States needs to VETO a new resolution on the 11th. That way George Bush can say "I tried" and then give the problem back to Clinton and Obama to solve. They started the mess to begin with.