"Kosovo out of international focus"

"If the International Court of Justice decides that Kosovo's independence was not established in line with international law, then the countries that have recognized it will find themselves in a predicament, since the thesis about the uniqueness of the Kosovo case will no longer be sustainable," he said.

It isn't unique, it never was and it never will be. In order to maintain the importance of statehood throughout the world a country's territorial integrity should never be managed (or mismanaged in this case) by the outside. The only way a peaceful solution can be attained is by the parties within the country trying to come to some kind of common agreement. Until that happens, this situation and many others, will stay frozen and will be contentious issues for a very long time.

LOL

Where did they find this guy. John Zavales is a nobody. His opinion does not matter and does not count.. LOL desperate times call for desperate interviews..

This is the beginning of the death knell for "independent" Kosovo and you know it. Mr. Zavales seems to ignore Russia and China who use Kosovo as an anchor to hang around the american neck. The ICJ will rule in Serbia's favor and then, if the usa doesn't withdraw recognition, Serbia will first sue the usa alone for MASSIVE reparations on an historic scale. Obama will be forced to withdraw recognition and blame it all on "the stupid bush administration". Already, Obama is taking back actions by bush. That poster who claims that albania will join NATO and Kosovo will become a part of albania is as outdated as bush is now. condi rice has disappeared. If you think hillary clinton will save you, guess again. The clintons were only interested in Kosovo as long as it served their political purposes. It no longer does. biden has risen as far as he will go and he knows it. His mouth prevents him from becoming President.

..."because Serbia gained the right to have the International Court of Justice consider the independence proclamation". Does this analyst know that any consideration by the IC is not obligatory? So what is next? Albania in NATO and Kosova joins Albania because of Serbia with his unconstrutive and urealistic stance is making the life of Kosovars "a misery"?

"Kosovo out of international focus"

And why it shoudl be???

The status is history. The fact that Russia is blocking the UN membership is about political and hegemonic interests of Russia. But that will change little in the daily life in Prishtina- Serbia is history and the only way that she might be back is the one that Serbia has always used: THE FORCE.

For a Serbian news source to quote him as saying "if" instead of "when" says a lot.
The ICJ will reaffirm that human rights supercede territorial claims.

'Both our peoples act in nearly an identical manner, I personally do not think there is much of a difference between our people.'

Matthew, that is a ridiculous statement. Are you trying to be funny?
Errr, sorry Matthew, but we don't keep our minorities in ghettos behind barbed wire, and we don't attack them if they speak their langauge, and we don't burn their churches and overturn their gravestones, military escorts for minorities to go grocery shopping are not required in Serbia....

Please, do not compare me to these people, not in my name. It is insulting.

According to this Greek guy but also to Jeremic,Tadic and all the serbs that don't want to be in touch with the reality."IF" ICJ "OPINION" goes Serbia's way we will have new interesting development. So for all these people there is not even a remote chance that ICJ OPINION goes in Albanians favor. Remember that the word IF might become very important in the future.When you push the others so hard on respecting the international law, expect the others to push on you to do the same.

Reality is setting it. Every one here knows that Serbs want Kosovo without the Albanians. And the Albanians do not to live with the Serbs. The only reason why there are any Serbs left in Kosovo is because the IC wants them there. Partition will happen. Its the only win-win solution for all parties. I know my Serbian brothers will disagree with me but in my opinion its the only way. I want all or nothing but thats not reality. Reality is on the ground. These people can not live together side by side and never will. Positions are changeing. The Albanians are trying to protect thier "sovereignty" and the Serbs are trying to break off a chunk (Northern Kosovo) for them selfs. This is the 2nd from last or last final chapter for the Balkans. Bosnia is still an issue. After that peace will come to the Balkans. At least for a little while.

“Partition will happen. Its the only win-win solution for all parties. I know my Serbian brothers will disagree with me but in my opinion its the only way.”

As a Serb I support some form of partition. There are clearly areas of Kosovo that we have no “significant” interest in and those areas should be let go.

There are areas that represent the very foundation of our civilization, and some creative solution must be found for those regions, but I do not think it’s impossible.

“The ICJ will reaffirm that human rights supercede territorial claims.”

Doodah, if that’s correct (The spelling clearly isn’t), then partition will clearly happen because as far as human rights go, the Albanians have acted in a very similar manner to the Serbs and the Croatians, otherwise “Standards Before Status” would not have been completely abandoned. If the solution is to be based on such considerations, then Serbia will recover Krajina and RS. The human rights violations of WWII far exceed any of the crimes of the 90’s.

Why don’t Serbs and Albanians agree to support one another in uniting their people under one State each? Clearly that would benefit both our peoples.

Why do we support international meddling in our spheres of influence that are clearly designed to keep both our peoples divided and weak?

Why don’t we start focusing on what we have in common instead of what divides us so? The chest thumping and nationalism needs to stop. Both our peoples act in nearly an identical manner, I personally do not think there is much of a difference between our people.

Dragan, well said.

Just how many wars and how many times do Serbs have to be stabbed in the back by the same enemy for Matthew to realize that we are not the same. Each time we turn the other cheek and say we are the same people only to be stabbed in the back once more.

No, Matthew, we are not the same people. We have NEVER done to them what they did to us. I too am insulted by that.

'It’s “our” people Dragan, you don’t own the monopoly on being Serbian.'

I don't pretend to, like you do Matthew. Or your buddy Tadic for that matter. Next time you or him want to apologize to Croats for getting ethnically cleansed, I wish you would do it in your name, not in the name of all Serbs. The same goes for you and your comparison of intolerant albanians to the 'bend over backwards' tolerance of Serbs.
I was never a fan of Milosevic, for your information, because of his betrayal or Serbs in Krajina and Bosnia. If I had my way, Kostunica would be leading Serbia. Hopefully, that will soon happen.
You sound very illogical and hysterical in calling me a 'nationalist' (like it's a bad thing - I prefer the word patriot), just because I said we are not like albanians, which I backed up with hard facts which you seem to be ignoring - again, where are the barbed wire ghettos in Belgrade Matthew?? After all, according to you we are the 'same', right?
I take pride in the multi-ethnicity, the friendliness, and hospitaliy of Serbia. So please do not compare me to these people who don't know the meaning of the word 'tolerance'.
Cheers!!

Matthew,

Your argument holds no water and is very illogical. You are trying to compare what happened during war time, the burning of churches and mosques, to what is going on now. Please compare apples to apples. There is no war in Kosovo, and the albanians have been given almost everything they wanted. Do you see Serbs in Vojvodina or Belgrade putting albanians behind barbed wire the way the albanians are doing to Serbs right now?
Again, if you want to say that you are the same as the albanians and you treat other ethnic groups the way they treat their minorities, by all means, feel free to say so. However, do not insult me or my people by comparing me to this completely intolerant society. Just take a walk around Novi Sad or Belgrade, and then take a walk through Pristina or any of the barbed wire ghettos in present day Kosovo, and you will see the difference.
No we are NOT like the albanians, not one bit, and thank God for that.
Cheers!!

Why don’t Serbs and Albanians agree to support one another in uniting their people under one State each? Clearly that would benefit both our peoples.

Why do we support international meddling in our spheres of influence that are clearly designed to keep both our peoples divided and weak?

(Matthew, 25 January 2009 20:43)

Good question Matthew. But they are above all to be addressed to Belgrade.

Why instead of looking for solution you tried to clean Kosova from Albanians just 8 years ago??

I do strongly support the partition-exchange of lands.

Parts of old Serbi Raska that are in Kosova should go back to Serbia and Presheva valley with Medveda (that btw means border and is the northern Albanian populated area) go back to Kosova.

No one can deny the fact of the Serbian cultural presence in Kosova, hence the Serbian Churches must be run and by the Serbian Church that will also have privileged status.

The so called Macedonia is a fake nation and state and is only a trouble maker and should disappear divided between Bulgaria and Albania- as the Greek minister of culture said. Serbia should help in this. Apparently Greece is OK and I don’t think Bulgaria will have any major objections.

Serbs have al rights of self-determination in Bosnia. As a matter a fact Serbs were lively supported by the international community during the war in Bosnia no one wanted to arm even take off the arm embargo to Bosnia. The logic was quite simple: help the strong to finish the weaker so the mess ends fast. No one even wanted to support Kosova hence it wasn't on table in Dayton.

You Serbs had a great chance in 90s and you missed it. Will you have a second chance???

I reckon yes only after you have reached a deal with us Albanians.

roberto says…”i mean it's good to do a little research and establish a little context, right?”

Yes, roberto from frisco, and it also is good to tell the whole truth about John Zavelas.

John Zavales served in a variety of assignments in the United States Department of Defense from 1989 to 2001. He was responsible for management and oversight of DOD humanitarian activities known as Operation Shining Hope in Kosovo following the end of the war. He next served as the desk officer for a number of Balkan and Central European countries in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Since leaving government service he has been an independent consultant and commentator on issues relating to humanitarian assistance, Balkan security, and defense policy.

Because of his years of professional experience, Mr. Zavelas appears to be a tad bit more qualified than most, including yourself, to be a reputable "balkan experts".

no ben,

weaker individuals who are obviously underestimating serbian resolve, like this guy , Matthew... can talk about partition all day long.

there will be no partition, ...it´s all serbian, and ...as you still do not comprehend ( some day you will ) there is no land to be given away as a present.

you will lose, it´s simply a question of time.

peace and the rule of law will prevail.

and smart K-Albanians allready have serbian passports.

sorry, my posting got lost somewhere in the stratosphere or something. and now i don't have the link, but if you google this nice john zavales you can find some of his, um, expert writing on the SUC site (serbian unity congress), from 2003, with his critique of the reintegration of the province of kosovo-metohija into serbia-montenegro...

i mean it's good to do a little research and establish a little context, right? and i am understandably just a tad sensitive about this issue of american "balkan experts"...

roberto
(north) america

Matthew

Oscar Wilde claimed that "Patriotism is a virtue of the vicious." I can see where the man was coming from.

In the Balkans, Nationalism is DEFINITELY the virtue of the vicious...and/or the dumb.

To all those who want a one-sided victory, or who keep coming up with "so-clever" jokes and taunts, who keep arguing about whether a state is "fake" or not...if we can't get two ethnic groups/neighbor countries to compromise, what hope do we have to reach any agreements with another 30 countries in the EU...if we ever get there?

Zavales omitted the most important fact - the NABUCCO Pipeline is dead. U.S. interest for Kosovo died with it. They never cared for the drug smuggling Albanians that now run the country.

“Matthew, but we don't keep our minorities in ghettos behind barbed wire, and we don't attack them if they speak their langauge, and we don't burn their churches and overturn their gravestones”

“No, Matthew, we are not the same people. We have NEVER done to them what they did to us.”

Thank you for completely proving my point.

You sound EXACTLY like the nationalistic Albanians I oppose so much.

“We didn’t do anything, we’ll all completely 100% innocent victims, and the other side are all the very personification of evil itself”.

Dragan, are you seriously trying to tell me, of all people, that Serbs never destroyed any churches or mosques anywhere? I mean, dude, do you really honestly believe that? Seriously, I lived out there for a year after the war. Some messed up stuff happened out there, on all sides. I saw with my own two eyes what really happened.

Just swap the word Serb with Albanian and I seriously can’t tell the difference between you guys. You guys even use the same exact arguments. It’s totally classic.

Don’t forget to call me a traitor and accuse me of secretly being an Albanian.

ALL SIDES COMMITTED CRIMES in the 90’s. No side is innocent.

Thing is Kosovo is so important to me that I’d be more than willing to trade half of Vojvodina (but not Novi Sad) for it, or Belgrade even.

If we lose Kosovo it will be because of people like you who are unwilling to make the tough sacrifices to save our Homeland.

Yet you complain that I would openly discuss freely giving away those areas of Kosovo that contain no Serbs or Significant Serbian Historical\Cultural monuments even if that meant preserving that which is most important to us.

I for one, am going to put my money where my mouth is. I’m looking for property in Pec (anyone feel free to let me know about any) so that we can continue to have a presence there. If you guys care at all about Kosovo in the least, you’ll do the same. Pool your money if you have to. Go there for vacation. Hold you head up high for being Serbian.

Dragan,

When we burned down the Mosques in Belgrade and Nis it wasn’t war time either.

“However, do not insult me or my people by comparing me to this completely intolerant society.”

It’s “our” people Dragan, you don’t own the monopoly on being Serbian.

You’re so wrapped up in hating “them”, you don’t even realize you’re looking in the mirror.

As I said, you sound exactly like their nationalists.

Fortunately for us right now, we have Tadic, and they are being led by KLA thugs. But if you had your way, we’d be led by some crazy Milosevic type too.

personally I do agree with Dragan, Matthew seems to be one of those who are willingly advocating bargain over serbian territory.

as far as I am concerned, that will not happen.

there are things that cannot be bought with money, and integrity is one of them.

@pss:

either you are not honest, or you just fear to see the truth.
pictures of barb-wire "ghettos" will be easy to find for you, if only you try to look for it...

@Ment:

you´re right! ...but as long as some K-albanians believe it to be a solution to create such a fake-"state" on serbian soil, there will be no "together".

I think it is simply and only a question of time.
time heals a lot of wounds, and until that happens, international law is there to keep the only important values up.

international law is stronger than many of our dear k-albanian friends would believe...

but that again, is a question of time, until they get it.

Matthew, how dare you compare us to those organ harvesting ghouls.
I NEVER said that we didn't do anything wrong. I said that we never did what they did. Did we have a Jasenovac?
Did we harvest their organs?
Are we killing Albanians inside Serbia?
NO, we are not, but this is exactly what they are doing today. How many reports do you want about old people being bashed and killed?

Are we putting their people behind barbed wire and do they need NATO escort to go to school and places of worship?

Sure we have some hot heads, but they don't compare to the numbers of them who are hell bent on exterminating us.

To all those questions I posted above the answer is NO.
Turn it around and you will see that the answer to all will be YES.

So when you compare us to them you are insulting me and many like me.

Again I say, we have our crimes to come to grips with, but they are STILL at it. Are you blind or just naive?
We are not angels but they are much, much worse.

Before you decide to compare us to them again, think.

how can Mr Zavalas believe that the macedonian question is without repercusion on kosovo? Does he ignore that more than one third of macedonia is albanian populated?
So,how can he talk think that partition of kosova is possible and not partition of macedonia,or serbia?
Well,i think that his declaration are only a test,so keep cool ,we are the ones who are living there,not zavalas, and we know why we had a war there,no need for zavalas to tell us where our fathers and grandfathers were born ...

I wish someone would take some pictures of these barb wire ghettos and post them. I have been driving around Kosovo for 3 years now and have yet to see them.
I have seen plenty of barb wire around military installations and a few religious sites, but never around villages or "ghettos".
Also according to Ban's last report, freedom of movement is only a problem for the minority Albabian population in the north of Kosovo.

No, Matthew, we are not the same people. We have NEVER done to them what they did to us. I too am insulted by that.
(Peggy, 26 January 2009 12:49

--Peggy, we are not the same people and we NEVER EVER will be, far far away from you.
You live in the Country called Serbia.
Long live R.Kosova, Albania, Slovenia, Croatia, EU USA Turkey.

LOL

Where did they find this guy. John Zavales is a nobody. His opinion does not matter and does not count.. LOL desperate times call for desperate interviews..

..."because Serbia gained the right to have the International Court of Justice consider the independence proclamation". Does this analyst know that any consideration by the IC is not obligatory? So what is next? Albania in NATO and Kosova joins Albania because of Serbia with his unconstrutive and urealistic stance is making the life of Kosovars "a misery"?

For a Serbian news source to quote him as saying "if" instead of "when" says a lot.
The ICJ will reaffirm that human rights supercede territorial claims.

"Kosovo out of international focus"

And why it shoudl be???

The status is history. The fact that Russia is blocking the UN membership is about political and hegemonic interests of Russia. But that will change little in the daily life in Prishtina- Serbia is history and the only way that she might be back is the one that Serbia has always used: THE FORCE.

"If the International Court of Justice decides that Kosovo's independence was not established in line with international law, then the countries that have recognized it will find themselves in a predicament, since the thesis about the uniqueness of the Kosovo case will no longer be sustainable," he said.

It isn't unique, it never was and it never will be. In order to maintain the importance of statehood throughout the world a country's territorial integrity should never be managed (or mismanaged in this case) by the outside. The only way a peaceful solution can be attained is by the parties within the country trying to come to some kind of common agreement. Until that happens, this situation and many others, will stay frozen and will be contentious issues for a very long time.

sorry, my posting got lost somewhere in the stratosphere or something. and now i don't have the link, but if you google this nice john zavales you can find some of his, um, expert writing on the SUC site (serbian unity congress), from 2003, with his critique of the reintegration of the province of kosovo-metohija into serbia-montenegro...

i mean it's good to do a little research and establish a little context, right? and i am understandably just a tad sensitive about this issue of american "balkan experts"...

roberto
(north) america

This is the beginning of the death knell for "independent" Kosovo and you know it. Mr. Zavales seems to ignore Russia and China who use Kosovo as an anchor to hang around the american neck. The ICJ will rule in Serbia's favor and then, if the usa doesn't withdraw recognition, Serbia will first sue the usa alone for MASSIVE reparations on an historic scale. Obama will be forced to withdraw recognition and blame it all on "the stupid bush administration". Already, Obama is taking back actions by bush. That poster who claims that albania will join NATO and Kosovo will become a part of albania is as outdated as bush is now. condi rice has disappeared. If you think hillary clinton will save you, guess again. The clintons were only interested in Kosovo as long as it served their political purposes. It no longer does. biden has risen as far as he will go and he knows it. His mouth prevents him from becoming President.

“Partition will happen. Its the only win-win solution for all parties. I know my Serbian brothers will disagree with me but in my opinion its the only way.”

As a Serb I support some form of partition. There are clearly areas of Kosovo that we have no “significant” interest in and those areas should be let go.

There are areas that represent the very foundation of our civilization, and some creative solution must be found for those regions, but I do not think it’s impossible.

“The ICJ will reaffirm that human rights supercede territorial claims.”

Doodah, if that’s correct (The spelling clearly isn’t), then partition will clearly happen because as far as human rights go, the Albanians have acted in a very similar manner to the Serbs and the Croatians, otherwise “Standards Before Status” would not have been completely abandoned. If the solution is to be based on such considerations, then Serbia will recover Krajina and RS. The human rights violations of WWII far exceed any of the crimes of the 90’s.

Why don’t Serbs and Albanians agree to support one another in uniting their people under one State each? Clearly that would benefit both our peoples.

Why do we support international meddling in our spheres of influence that are clearly designed to keep both our peoples divided and weak?

Why don’t we start focusing on what we have in common instead of what divides us so? The chest thumping and nationalism needs to stop. Both our peoples act in nearly an identical manner, I personally do not think there is much of a difference between our people.

Why don’t Serbs and Albanians agree to support one another in uniting their people under one State each? Clearly that would benefit both our peoples.

Why do we support international meddling in our spheres of influence that are clearly designed to keep both our peoples divided and weak?

(Matthew, 25 January 2009 20:43)

Good question Matthew. But they are above all to be addressed to Belgrade.

Why instead of looking for solution you tried to clean Kosova from Albanians just 8 years ago??

I do strongly support the partition-exchange of lands.

Parts of old Serbi Raska that are in Kosova should go back to Serbia and Presheva valley with Medveda (that btw means border and is the northern Albanian populated area) go back to Kosova.

No one can deny the fact of the Serbian cultural presence in Kosova, hence the Serbian Churches must be run and by the Serbian Church that will also have privileged status.

The so called Macedonia is a fake nation and state and is only a trouble maker and should disappear divided between Bulgaria and Albania- as the Greek minister of culture said. Serbia should help in this. Apparently Greece is OK and I don’t think Bulgaria will have any major objections.

Serbs have al rights of self-determination in Bosnia. As a matter a fact Serbs were lively supported by the international community during the war in Bosnia no one wanted to arm even take off the arm embargo to Bosnia. The logic was quite simple: help the strong to finish the weaker so the mess ends fast. No one even wanted to support Kosova hence it wasn't on table in Dayton.

You Serbs had a great chance in 90s and you missed it. Will you have a second chance???

I reckon yes only after you have reached a deal with us Albanians.

I wish someone would take some pictures of these barb wire ghettos and post them. I have been driving around Kosovo for 3 years now and have yet to see them.
I have seen plenty of barb wire around military installations and a few religious sites, but never around villages or "ghettos".
Also according to Ban's last report, freedom of movement is only a problem for the minority Albabian population in the north of Kosovo.

Reality is setting it. Every one here knows that Serbs want Kosovo without the Albanians. And the Albanians do not to live with the Serbs. The only reason why there are any Serbs left in Kosovo is because the IC wants them there. Partition will happen. Its the only win-win solution for all parties. I know my Serbian brothers will disagree with me but in my opinion its the only way. I want all or nothing but thats not reality. Reality is on the ground. These people can not live together side by side and never will. Positions are changeing. The Albanians are trying to protect thier "sovereignty" and the Serbs are trying to break off a chunk (Northern Kosovo) for them selfs. This is the 2nd from last or last final chapter for the Balkans. Bosnia is still an issue. After that peace will come to the Balkans. At least for a little while.

Dragan,

When we burned down the Mosques in Belgrade and Nis it wasn’t war time either.

“However, do not insult me or my people by comparing me to this completely intolerant society.”

It’s “our” people Dragan, you don’t own the monopoly on being Serbian.

You’re so wrapped up in hating “them”, you don’t even realize you’re looking in the mirror.

As I said, you sound exactly like their nationalists.

Fortunately for us right now, we have Tadic, and they are being led by KLA thugs. But if you had your way, we’d be led by some crazy Milosevic type too.

According to this Greek guy but also to Jeremic,Tadic and all the serbs that don't want to be in touch with the reality."IF" ICJ "OPINION" goes Serbia's way we will have new interesting development. So for all these people there is not even a remote chance that ICJ OPINION goes in Albanians favor. Remember that the word IF might become very important in the future.When you push the others so hard on respecting the international law, expect the others to push on you to do the same.

“Matthew, but we don't keep our minorities in ghettos behind barbed wire, and we don't attack them if they speak their langauge, and we don't burn their churches and overturn their gravestones”

“No, Matthew, we are not the same people. We have NEVER done to them what they did to us.”

Thank you for completely proving my point.

You sound EXACTLY like the nationalistic Albanians I oppose so much.

“We didn’t do anything, we’ll all completely 100% innocent victims, and the other side are all the very personification of evil itself”.

Dragan, are you seriously trying to tell me, of all people, that Serbs never destroyed any churches or mosques anywhere? I mean, dude, do you really honestly believe that? Seriously, I lived out there for a year after the war. Some messed up stuff happened out there, on all sides. I saw with my own two eyes what really happened.

Just swap the word Serb with Albanian and I seriously can’t tell the difference between you guys. You guys even use the same exact arguments. It’s totally classic.

Don’t forget to call me a traitor and accuse me of secretly being an Albanian.

ALL SIDES COMMITTED CRIMES in the 90’s. No side is innocent.

Thing is Kosovo is so important to me that I’d be more than willing to trade half of Vojvodina (but not Novi Sad) for it, or Belgrade even.

If we lose Kosovo it will be because of people like you who are unwilling to make the tough sacrifices to save our Homeland.

Yet you complain that I would openly discuss freely giving away those areas of Kosovo that contain no Serbs or Significant Serbian Historical\Cultural monuments even if that meant preserving that which is most important to us.

I for one, am going to put my money where my mouth is. I’m looking for property in Pec (anyone feel free to let me know about any) so that we can continue to have a presence there. If you guys care at all about Kosovo in the least, you’ll do the same. Pool your money if you have to. Go there for vacation. Hold you head up high for being Serbian.

No, Matthew, we are not the same people. We have NEVER done to them what they did to us. I too am insulted by that.
(Peggy, 26 January 2009 12:49

--Peggy, we are not the same people and we NEVER EVER will be, far far away from you.
You live in the Country called Serbia.
Long live R.Kosova, Albania, Slovenia, Croatia, EU USA Turkey.

no ben,

weaker individuals who are obviously underestimating serbian resolve, like this guy , Matthew... can talk about partition all day long.

there will be no partition, ...it´s all serbian, and ...as you still do not comprehend ( some day you will ) there is no land to be given away as a present.

you will lose, it´s simply a question of time.

peace and the rule of law will prevail.

and smart K-Albanians allready have serbian passports.

'Both our peoples act in nearly an identical manner, I personally do not think there is much of a difference between our people.'

Matthew, that is a ridiculous statement. Are you trying to be funny?
Errr, sorry Matthew, but we don't keep our minorities in ghettos behind barbed wire, and we don't attack them if they speak their langauge, and we don't burn their churches and overturn their gravestones, military escorts for minorities to go grocery shopping are not required in Serbia....

Please, do not compare me to these people, not in my name. It is insulting.

Dragan, well said.

Just how many wars and how many times do Serbs have to be stabbed in the back by the same enemy for Matthew to realize that we are not the same. Each time we turn the other cheek and say we are the same people only to be stabbed in the back once more.

No, Matthew, we are not the same people. We have NEVER done to them what they did to us. I too am insulted by that.

Matthew

Oscar Wilde claimed that "Patriotism is a virtue of the vicious." I can see where the man was coming from.

In the Balkans, Nationalism is DEFINITELY the virtue of the vicious...and/or the dumb.

To all those who want a one-sided victory, or who keep coming up with "so-clever" jokes and taunts, who keep arguing about whether a state is "fake" or not...if we can't get two ethnic groups/neighbor countries to compromise, what hope do we have to reach any agreements with another 30 countries in the EU...if we ever get there?

'It’s “our” people Dragan, you don’t own the monopoly on being Serbian.'

I don't pretend to, like you do Matthew. Or your buddy Tadic for that matter. Next time you or him want to apologize to Croats for getting ethnically cleansed, I wish you would do it in your name, not in the name of all Serbs. The same goes for you and your comparison of intolerant albanians to the 'bend over backwards' tolerance of Serbs.
I was never a fan of Milosevic, for your information, because of his betrayal or Serbs in Krajina and Bosnia. If I had my way, Kostunica would be leading Serbia. Hopefully, that will soon happen.
You sound very illogical and hysterical in calling me a 'nationalist' (like it's a bad thing - I prefer the word patriot), just because I said we are not like albanians, which I backed up with hard facts which you seem to be ignoring - again, where are the barbed wire ghettos in Belgrade Matthew?? After all, according to you we are the 'same', right?
I take pride in the multi-ethnicity, the friendliness, and hospitaliy of Serbia. So please do not compare me to these people who don't know the meaning of the word 'tolerance'.
Cheers!!

roberto says…”i mean it's good to do a little research and establish a little context, right?”

Yes, roberto from frisco, and it also is good to tell the whole truth about John Zavelas.

John Zavales served in a variety of assignments in the United States Department of Defense from 1989 to 2001. He was responsible for management and oversight of DOD humanitarian activities known as Operation Shining Hope in Kosovo following the end of the war. He next served as the desk officer for a number of Balkan and Central European countries in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Since leaving government service he has been an independent consultant and commentator on issues relating to humanitarian assistance, Balkan security, and defense policy.

Because of his years of professional experience, Mr. Zavelas appears to be a tad bit more qualified than most, including yourself, to be a reputable "balkan experts".

how can Mr Zavalas believe that the macedonian question is without repercusion on kosovo? Does he ignore that more than one third of macedonia is albanian populated?
So,how can he talk think that partition of kosova is possible and not partition of macedonia,or serbia?
Well,i think that his declaration are only a test,so keep cool ,we are the ones who are living there,not zavalas, and we know why we had a war there,no need for zavalas to tell us where our fathers and grandfathers were born ...

Zavales omitted the most important fact - the NABUCCO Pipeline is dead. U.S. interest for Kosovo died with it. They never cared for the drug smuggling Albanians that now run the country.

Matthew,

Your argument holds no water and is very illogical. You are trying to compare what happened during war time, the burning of churches and mosques, to what is going on now. Please compare apples to apples. There is no war in Kosovo, and the albanians have been given almost everything they wanted. Do you see Serbs in Vojvodina or Belgrade putting albanians behind barbed wire the way the albanians are doing to Serbs right now?
Again, if you want to say that you are the same as the albanians and you treat other ethnic groups the way they treat their minorities, by all means, feel free to say so. However, do not insult me or my people by comparing me to this completely intolerant society. Just take a walk around Novi Sad or Belgrade, and then take a walk through Pristina or any of the barbed wire ghettos in present day Kosovo, and you will see the difference.
No we are NOT like the albanians, not one bit, and thank God for that.
Cheers!!

personally I do agree with Dragan, Matthew seems to be one of those who are willingly advocating bargain over serbian territory.

as far as I am concerned, that will not happen.

there are things that cannot be bought with money, and integrity is one of them.

@pss:

either you are not honest, or you just fear to see the truth.
pictures of barb-wire "ghettos" will be easy to find for you, if only you try to look for it...

@Ment:

you´re right! ...but as long as some K-albanians believe it to be a solution to create such a fake-"state" on serbian soil, there will be no "together".

I think it is simply and only a question of time.
time heals a lot of wounds, and until that happens, international law is there to keep the only important values up.

international law is stronger than many of our dear k-albanian friends would believe...

but that again, is a question of time, until they get it.

Matthew, how dare you compare us to those organ harvesting ghouls.
I NEVER said that we didn't do anything wrong. I said that we never did what they did. Did we have a Jasenovac?
Did we harvest their organs?
Are we killing Albanians inside Serbia?
NO, we are not, but this is exactly what they are doing today. How many reports do you want about old people being bashed and killed?

Are we putting their people behind barbed wire and do they need NATO escort to go to school and places of worship?

Sure we have some hot heads, but they don't compare to the numbers of them who are hell bent on exterminating us.

To all those questions I posted above the answer is NO.
Turn it around and you will see that the answer to all will be YES.

So when you compare us to them you are insulting me and many like me.

Again I say, we have our crimes to come to grips with, but they are STILL at it. Are you blind or just naive?
We are not angels but they are much, much worse.

Before you decide to compare us to them again, think.