"Autonomy for Kosovo north can overcome divisions"

People, People, People...Kosovo is Serbia and always will be. You cant give autonomy to Kosovo Serbs in the North when Kosovo is a province within Serbia. Too funny. Just because Western Imperial Powers came in and said Kosovo is independent doesn't mean that it actually is. If this was the case their would be no meetings and constant pressuring of Serbia to recognize Kosovo. Under International Law this is illegal. Like I said all along the West thought Serbia would forget about Kosovo. Fat chance...that will never happen. Kosovo is and always will be a province in Serbia. Zivela Kosovo and Metohija.

"...that granting regional autonomy to northern Kosovo could overcome divisions with the rest of Kosovo."

The guy must be a magician...) I think I can do the role of magitian much better....

Serbia must recognise Kosovo independence first, the serious talks can take place. Northern Serbs should have the same rights as the rights enjoyed by Albanians living in Presevo, Bujanovc and Medvegja.

Few Serbs in here are going to ask and might get "upset" why comparing the two realities. They also want to completely "forget" about that....

Albanian will not forget so the international community.....

I am very curious to know what Mr Lehne think...and what is his problem not recognising it....

Unfortunately,even if Kosova granted authonomy for North and Serbia agrees ,Serbia says they will never recognise Kosova.
So why bother giving concesions to serbs, when albanians get nothing in return?

This is a westerner who is throwing out a fishing line as a possible solution to the Kosovo quagmire that has gone now for 12 years. The west has tried every possible manoeuvre from veiled threats to the Serbs to bribing impoverished countries to recognise an independent Kosovo, but nothing has worked.

The use of force is now totally out of the question and their puppet Tadic has once again proven to be a lame duck as the earlier incident between the Serbs and NATO had proven. Now we have a group of Serbs wagging the dog and treating KFOR, NATO and EULEX like trash and these forces cannot lift a finger so the humiliation of the west continues on the world stage.

You have only to read between the lines from some of the Albanian posts at how frustrating it has become for them that they are ready to go over there and take action.

But this is the right course of action to take as Kosovo is going nowhere fast and the pressure is building up for that almighty explosion against that west as much was promised but little has been delivered. Look at Macedonia – you don’t have to tell me that the current violence is due to just hatred of Albanians and Macedonians – it’s the build up frustration of nothing happening; stagnation and unfulfilled promises.

Kosovo’s prison like status continues regardless of what agreements have been reached.

Not a bad start, but:

1. Include the rest of the Serb municipalities.
2. Offer the same package to the Gorani and any other group that wants autonomy
3. In exchange, Belgrade doesn't have to recognize, but it should not obstruct Kosovo from getting into more international institutions. If other countries want to or don't want to recognize " Kosovo* " that's up to them.

It's not like Pristina has any other alternative anyway towards the north :)

No way.... otherwise the use of force is very close!

Rewarding Serbian war criminals will resolve nothing. After that Vojvodina, Sandzak, Presheva Valley will want the same. This time pandora's box will not be closed for a very long time.

"The EU should start the process by appointing a high-level envoy to conduct talks with the parties involved," Lehne says, adding that it should end "Serbia's opposition to Kosovo's membership in international organizations and to further recognitions."

Absolutely agree. And I have just the name for that envoy too. A Nobel Peace Prize, Ahtisaari. He has experience, old material, knows the people, the problems, the region. His aides must know how to copy-paste. Change a comma here and there. And change the title from "Ahtisaari plan" to "We will get you tired with talks plan".

Now that I think about it, isn't this already happening? Stefanovic and Tahiri are the parties involved and they are having talks, and there is an envoy, "The Facilitator", Cooper. Do we want to have two sets of talks? Why not three sets of talks? Pull in the UN again, generate work, create jobs, articles, keep the economy going.

How about giving autonomy to Albanian parts of Kosovo?

Finally a rational albanian Mirel. Albanians get nothing unless Serbia recognizes!

The "autonomy" is alreday reached. Not even from Pristina, but from Serbia too. North Kosovo is de facto a zona franca, where even KFOR and EULEX, with there mandate can not do nothing. Is just a question of legitimation. BTW, I would recommend B92 to put an updated photograph of the bridge and everybody will see the price of the autonomy normal citizens are paying including us who should pay higher taxes to maintain the "peace" at any price.

This is a westerner who is throwing out a fishing line as a possible solution to the Kosovo quagmire that has gone now for 12 years. The west has tried every possible manoeuvre from veiled threats to the Serbs to bribing impoverished countries to recognise an independent Kosovo, but nothing has worked.

The use of force is now totally out of the question and their puppet Tadic has once again proven to be a lame duck as the earlier incident between the Serbs and NATO had proven. Now we have a group of Serbs wagging the dog and treating KFOR, NATO and EULEX like trash and these forces cannot lift a finger so the humiliation of the west continues on the world stage.

You have only to read between the lines from some of the Albanian posts at how frustrating it has become for them that they are ready to go over there and take action.

But this is the right course of action to take as Kosovo is going nowhere fast and the pressure is building up for that almighty explosion against that west as much was promised but little has been delivered. Look at Macedonia – you don’t have to tell me that the current violence is due to just hatred of Albanians and Macedonians – it’s the build up frustration of nothing happening; stagnation and unfulfilled promises.

Kosovo’s prison like status continues regardless of what agreements have been reached.
(sj, 14 March 2012 23:17)
It is increasingly becoming apparent that due to your Serbian roots you think everything must be accomplished by force, one of the reasons we are here today.
Kfor and Eulex could move in and use force to quell the disruptions in the north but what would that accomplish. As shown by Milosevic anything less than total annilation of the opposing factors only brings years of problems and issues. But you think that taking the side of caution and diplomacy is an open sign of weakness, you do not understand the philosophy of trying to create a multiethnic society it is all or nothing with you. There is no urgency in the north, I repeat there is no urgency in the north with Kosovo only for Serbia. Why rush in and use force, create more problems than there exists today. If the goal of the intl presence was to force the Serbs out of the north that could be accomplished but the goal is to keep them there. If that is the goal then why create more and more tensions. Like you said the issues have been there for more than 12 years do they have to be solved in the spring of 2012, no.
You see the publicity that the violence in Libya, Syria, Sudan, etc, etc creates. While many on here want to portray the lives of Serbs in Kosovo as living in fear and violence, its not true and no one is buying it. Your hope is that Eulex and Kfor will start a crackdown so you can start ranting about the scourge of the northern Serbs. At this point they are seen as out of control and totally in the wrong as their position is not supported by either govts in Kosovo or Serbia or administration under res1244.
So again what is the hurry, is it really causing issues for anyone other than Serbia's EU aspirations at the present?? The way that Kfor and Eulex are handling the situation may be frustrating but it has kept the situation from escalating.
Other than Russia raising some rhetoric here and there you see NO international concern being shown and most of the people are just rolling their eyes when Russia speaks.
If the goal is a peaceful solution to the north this is the only way to go, it only enhances the west and the authorities position on the world stage, while diminishing the position of the Serbs.
Eventhough you want to portray that it is the fear of Russia that is keeping anything from happening, I think you are smart enough to know that Russia is not really going to risk a military engagement over some small area in the middle of Europe. Were this all of Serbia calling for help it May be different, but these people are acting in defiance of what they term their own govt. the big Russian partner Serbia. Any action would cause Serbia to get off the fence and side with either Russia and end any hopes of EU admission or side with EU and lose the valuable support in the UNSC of Russia.
It is a complex world out there and usually ultranationalistic approaches are not the best answers.

3. In exchange, Belgrade doesn't have to recognize, but it should not obstruct Kosovo from getting into more international institutions. If other countries want to or don't want to recognize " Kosovo* " that's up to them.
(Balkan Anthropologist, 14 March 2012 21:42)

Whether other countries recognize something is up to them alredy dear, they are not going to ask Serbia's permission for that.

Commenting on the "4 Point Plan" for the future of Kosovo presented by Serbian President Boris Tadic in the fall of 2011, Lehne observes that "it confirms Belgrade's policy of nonrecognition of Priština's declaration of independence but advocates a solution within the existing boundaries of Kosovo."

Within the existing boundaries, yes. And they are no borders, since Kosovo is considered part of Serbia and not an independent country.

"The most interesting part of the initiative - and the reason why Western officials mostly responded positively - was the fact that it explicitly abandoned the notion of partition, he points out.

Partition would have been a chance for Kosovo to become a real country (Partion along the Ibar river, northern parts staying within Serbia, while Serbia will recognize the Albanian southern part as an own country).

sj

I am throwing myself at your mercy...EDUCATE ME. what is Kosovo strategic for? what can the US get in Kosovo that they can't get anywhere else? why was Kosovo only needed in 1999? why not 1963? 1912? 1765? go ahead, what can the 'evil' US do in Kosovo and Kosovo only that they apparently can't do anywhere else? you really need to get rid of your paranoia. a very simple explanation, far more logical of course, takes care of everything that so bothers you, it was Serbia's fault. why would ALL Yugoslav nations want to cede? why? because the West made them do it? why didn't they make them do it in 1923? or in 1976? you really have no idea what you're talking about. but i am asking you to elucidate to me what Kosovo is useful for? go ahead explain

Autonomy means that your rights arent secured, and that you want to be ur own man! damn, the serbs have more rights than the albanians... its total nonsense! I hope it wont come to talks about the north, because it would start a new war. its a holy part of kosovo that is not negotiable! if the north is at stake, than its better being a province in serbia than having a "republic" with serbian influence!
I mean where is the problem?! They have so much rights, its not compairable to any minority in the world! Look at the albanians in macedonia or serbia, they would be gratefull for having half of the rights the serbs enjoy in kosovo!!!
Dont be like a person who cant get enough, u won the diplomatic battle with the 1244 status. stay to it and dont try to get more. every much gaining is going to end in a downfall. look at germany and the WW2!!

It is increasingly becoming apparent that due to your Serbian roots you think everything must be accomplished by force, one of the reasons we are here today.
(pss, 15 March 2012 08:22)

I don't think sj has Serbian roots; otherwise he/she would not hate Serbs so much to the point of having an itch for Albanians/KFOR/EULEX etc to use force against them.

(pss, 15 March 2012 08:22)

Yes you’re correct the violence I espouse is due to my background. That’s why Europe’s prisons are full of Albanians. Yes we Serbs also have revenge killings that go back 50, 60 and up to 80 years and that is the reason why our farmers carry arms openly to protect themselves from other families, opps, that Albanians again.

On a better note I see the US and their allies went into Afghanistan using peaceful means and have left Iraq a better place full freedom and democracy; I see that the US dropped feathers instead of bombs in Libya. I see how peaceful the west is in Syria arming insurgents (even helping Osama’s people to overthrown the current regime). Very peaceful indeed. I hate to see violence if these are peaceful methods.

Firstly, the plan for KFOR was bring the Serbs under Thaci’s control and if necessary use force with the help of NATO forces, but the trick was when do you used them so that the Serbs do not appear as the victim and create even a greater rise in nationalism in Serbia itself. The west has control over the Albanians and they are not a concerned as the west can if necessary tell your lot to behave “or we leave you to the Serbs and see how you go’.

The story about Milosevic wanting to annihilate the Albanians is utter crap.

The west has now reached a point where there are more important and pressing issues such as their survival with the US now well past the point of no return and heading like a runaway train to a Greek-style economic collapse and the EU trying to salvage the wreck called the EU. It does not have the time or money to continue with the “slowly slowly ” approach and want to settle the Kosovo problem. They had a multi ethnic state called Yugoslavia, but Kosovo will never be one as your lot kicked out every non Albanian including Croats, Turks and even your Albanian Roma who are Muslims – these people live next to the Serbs for protection, Hello!!!!!!, these are the same Serbs that wanted to supposedly annihilate all the Albanians.

I hate to say it but it is all very true that Serbs do suffer violence and do live in fear from their Albanian neighbours and this is not something new either – look at your Albanian Roma in Kosovo. My parents live next to a lady from Denmark and she has nephews who were part of KFOR and they despise Albanians, not because of who they are but as a result of what they have seen done by them. They are not so kind in their description – it involved human waste.

KFOR/NATO/EULEX or my grandmother’s angry cat will NEVER, and let me repeat this NEVER touch the Serbs. They are now beyond anyone’s reach. They will make sure that Kosovo remains in limbo for ever as they are protected by Moscow. This is what is eating away at the Albanians commenting on this site. Belgrade has become a captive of the Serbs in Kosovo.

As I have said many time KFOR/EULEX are not there to keep the status quo. They were placed to move the Serbs over to the forces of niceness and goodness, but are now trapped in a mess. In the eyes of the west the Serbs are the problem not the Albanians and now they cannot control the problem. If the international community rolls their eyes when Russia speaks why doesn’t the United States of Cretins attack Syria or Iran????? What are they waiting for??? A sign from God? This is the crap your western media feeds you par excellence.

If Russia will not engage in any military action what is the west waiting for????? But the west will use force in Kosovo when Halal pigs start flying. It is in the Russians interests to keep Kosovo in this state of turmoil. Who really cares about joining the EU? When will Albania join????? Surely Serbia is a pariah, but they are on the list above Albania. Joining the EU is only being peddled by the politicians who are being paid to sell this BS. With the South stream pipeline the Russians will dominate the EU like it or not. Try and work without energy.

Up until the 1990s I did not consider myself a Serb or even a Serbian nationalist nor even thought too much about Serbia until the west started to carry on its BS. I then made it a mission to learn who my people were and what they have done. Its nationalism that keeps a country together but if you disagree ask the Americans to stop carrying on about singing the national anthem or raising the flag in schools or for that matter their military taking the pledge to defends their country – its all called nationalism.

(sj, 16 March 2012 05:49)
Very good speech. I don't agree with any of it, but you spoke your mind.
I have never condemned nationalism it is a good thing, I speak only of ultranationalists and there is a huge difference. Kind of like the difference of having a glass of wine a day or having a fifth of whiskey, one is considered good for you.
As far as your mothers neighbor, could be true, but do you really think that she would be sitting there telling her Serbian friend/neighbor how much her sons who were in Kosovo hated the Serbs???

sj

Please publish a book, as you seem to know what REALLY happened in the wars of former Yugoslavia. My impression, you're paranoid or have watched one James Bond film too many. you still haven't told me what Kosovo is strategic for

sj

I also love your fictional Danish friends. keep posting as you're good for a chuckle. I'd love to know who shot Kennedy, i'm sure you have inside information on that one too

(sj, 16 March 2012 05:49)
Very good speech. I don't agree with any of it, but you spoke your mind.
I have never condemned nationalism it is a good thing, I speak only of ultranationalists and there is a huge difference. Kind of like the difference of having a glass of wine a day or having a fifth of whiskey, one is considered good for you.
As far as your mothers neighbor, could be true, but do you really think that she would be sitting there telling her Serbian friend/neighbor how much her sons who were in Kosovo hated the Serbs???
(pss, 16 March 2012 11:32)

Yes I am very good at my job and I am very well educated, but English seems to be a problem for you. I said “my parents” not my mother. The Danish lady is a widow who married an Australian and she still has family living in Denmark and two of her nephews were in KFOR in Kosovo. This lady does not spend one moment on the subject of Kosovo, but it was an amusing statement as she is totally neutral on the subject of Albanians or Serbs. She was only conveying what her family members said about your lot.
Now I find it amusing that nationalist are OK but ultranationalist are evil. Now we can have ultranationalist in the US because they are for freedom and democracy but anyone else is nasty.

I also love your fictional Danish friends. keep posting as you're good for a chuckle. I'd love to know who shot Kennedy, i'm sure you have inside information on that one too
(Nikolle,
Please publish a book, as you seem to know what REALLY happened in the wars of former Yugoslavia. My impression, you're paranoid or have watched one James Bond film too many. you still haven't told me what Kosovo is strategic for
(Nikolle, 16 March 2012 11:36) 6 March 2012 11:40)
Now read carefully what I have posted earlier and my response to pss. It seems you Albanians have a clear problem with the English language. I can write a history on Yugoslavia and the reasons for the wars and they have NOTHING to do with the US saving Albanians as you are expendable much like the people of Bahrain – even Thaci killed his own people to please the US. Albanians were useful at the time, but when no longer needed or the west cannot support financially you are gone. Chuckle all you like but time is running out for your thieves and I hope you are sending lots of money so they can learn them to swim as the Adriatic is a large stretch of water.
However, if you disagree please list how useful the Albanians in Kosovo are to the EU – can wait to have a good laugh.

The west did not want to go into Kosovo but Serbia proper as it wanted to expand NATO and as Serbia is at the cross roads between the west and east it is a vital strategic point. Kosovo was a last option, nothing else. Why did the US/NATO build Camp Bondsteel? its to intimidate the locals by showing off their military power – the strategy is simple and is studied in the first few months in all military academies throughout the world.
It has nothing to do with hating the Serbs or loving the Albanians; it is achieving their primary objective and that was to bring the region under NATO control. Make an attempt and get in the way of the US and see how long you last. Once again it has nothing to do with one people or the other but reaching their objective and how they do that is simple. You do it using any means possible.
Now if you think the US likes the Albanians why have they not brought industry to that region??? I’m sure they can convince their partners such as Germany or France to open factories making Renault parts or perhaps some of the many good that products made by Siemens.
It not paranoia it the fact that people can’t accept that the US went into Kosovo for its own reasons not to “save the Albanians”, but the latter is being sold to everyone else. That is how it works; if I am wrong why didn’t the US stop Saudi Arabia from using military force in another sovereign country called Bahrain? Surely these people also wanted democracy and to remove the shackles of oppression from a brutal ruler? Surely if Syria needs to be freed so does Bahrain????
The breakup of Yugoslavia occurred because Berlin wanted a group of small sates all dependent on her. When they lost control they ran to Washington for help and the rest we all know. Why was this not done in 1923 or 1976 you ask? Well they were different times and in 1923 the Serbs just came out of WW1 with the rest of the allies and Yugoslavia was just formed and in 1976 they US could not do it as they were fighting a cold War with the Soviet Union and there would have been war if the balance was altered. This is a very very simple explanation and you need to read up on those two periods to understand why things happened.
Now you ask why did the people then cede from Yugoslavia? Yes they voted to leave as the politicians promised streets paved with gold and they ended up with just bricks. You see no one has the guts to do a real survey in these countries today and ask the question if they could would they like the clock turned back? A few sample polls have been done and the results were not pretty as the vast majority said yes, life was much better then compared to now. Ask the Croatians how comfortable life is in that country today. Just watch their HTV. Slovenia was left untouched and now has huge problems – it is too small a country and all its industry has or will soon leave and relocated to Serbia. Jadranka Kosor was asked a question by a factory worker
why doesn’t Croatia entice outsiders to open industry in Croatia?” The answer was “we and all past administrations have attempted many times, but we are too small and no one will open industry here”.
Why is the EU forcing these new countries to go back and trade as they did when they were part of Yugoslavia???? People are the last to be asked on any subject, it is and will always be INTERSTS that control events.
Yes the Serbs when to war but if they did not they would have been ripped to pieces and there would have been nothing left. The Serbs had to gouge out the best and they did just that. What is left is really not worth much. Serbia with RS is a self sustaining entity unlike the rest which need heavy injections of EU assistance.
Kosovo is worthless as it does not have anything there except mouths to feed – I am not being unpleasant but telling you this as any business entrepreneur would. It is of some value to the Serbs because of their history etc, but otherwise it is an unsustainable stretch of land. To be called a real country you have to have enough water and mineral resources. You have to have a means of employing people; you have to be able to raise taxes to pay for education health, defense, building of roads etc. Kosovo has none of these and the EU will never allow it to join up with Albania.

and again you keep using words like strategically important point. strategically important for what? what is Serbia strategic for? there was no Bondsteel from 1945-1999, the US did not suffer. let me tell you what you're doing, you're looking to blame everybody,. EVERYBODY but Serbs themselves. allow me to ask you a simple question, did Serbia do ANYTHING wrong in Kosovo? go ahead sunshine. after all, the Albanians seem to be happier to be 'used' by the US than they were under Belgrade, so its them you have to convince to be part of you again. why is that? seriously, the US can do no right. if it gets involved, its a bully, if it does nothing, its indifferent. again tell me, what is Serbia strategic for? what?

I can write a history on Yugoslavia and the reasons for the wars and they have NOTHING to do with the US saving Albanians as you are expendable much like the people of Bahrain
(sj, 16 March 2012 13:20)

Of course; everybody knows that… the Yankees only care about the money, not about Albanians or Bahrainians. That’s why they supported Kosovo’s UDI because it was a cheaper solution than forcing 2M Albanians to go back under Serbia. If the latter had been cheaper, no doubt US would have supported Serbia.
----------

Kosovo is worthless as it does not have anything there except mouths to feed
(sj, 17 March 2012 08:04)

Woow, I did not know Albanians in Kosovo were that smart to make half of the world help them even though they are worthless :)
-----------

what is Serbia strategic for? what?
(Nikolle, 17 March 2012 12:59)

For sj’s and his/her Malaysian friend’s day dreams LOL

autonomy for KiM within Serbia is the maximum. everything else is out of question.

...dreaming about "independence" may be caressing the k-albanian soul, but reality is that they will have to come to reason. sooner or later.

..in their very own interest.

"...that granting regional autonomy to northern Kosovo could overcome divisions with the rest of Kosovo."

The guy must be a magician...) I think I can do the role of magitian much better....

Serbia must recognise Kosovo independence first, the serious talks can take place. Northern Serbs should have the same rights as the rights enjoyed by Albanians living in Presevo, Bujanovc and Medvegja.

Few Serbs in here are going to ask and might get "upset" why comparing the two realities. They also want to completely "forget" about that....

Albanian will not forget so the international community.....

I am very curious to know what Mr Lehne think...and what is his problem not recognising it....

Unfortunately,even if Kosova granted authonomy for North and Serbia agrees ,Serbia says they will never recognise Kosova.
So why bother giving concesions to serbs, when albanians get nothing in return?

No way.... otherwise the use of force is very close!

Rewarding Serbian war criminals will resolve nothing. After that Vojvodina, Sandzak, Presheva Valley will want the same. This time pandora's box will not be closed for a very long time.

People, People, People...Kosovo is Serbia and always will be. You cant give autonomy to Kosovo Serbs in the North when Kosovo is a province within Serbia. Too funny. Just because Western Imperial Powers came in and said Kosovo is independent doesn't mean that it actually is. If this was the case their would be no meetings and constant pressuring of Serbia to recognize Kosovo. Under International Law this is illegal. Like I said all along the West thought Serbia would forget about Kosovo. Fat chance...that will never happen. Kosovo is and always will be a province in Serbia. Zivela Kosovo and Metohija.

Not a bad start, but:

1. Include the rest of the Serb municipalities.
2. Offer the same package to the Gorani and any other group that wants autonomy
3. In exchange, Belgrade doesn't have to recognize, but it should not obstruct Kosovo from getting into more international institutions. If other countries want to or don't want to recognize " Kosovo* " that's up to them.

It's not like Pristina has any other alternative anyway towards the north :)

This is a westerner who is throwing out a fishing line as a possible solution to the Kosovo quagmire that has gone now for 12 years. The west has tried every possible manoeuvre from veiled threats to the Serbs to bribing impoverished countries to recognise an independent Kosovo, but nothing has worked.

The use of force is now totally out of the question and their puppet Tadic has once again proven to be a lame duck as the earlier incident between the Serbs and NATO had proven. Now we have a group of Serbs wagging the dog and treating KFOR, NATO and EULEX like trash and these forces cannot lift a finger so the humiliation of the west continues on the world stage.

You have only to read between the lines from some of the Albanian posts at how frustrating it has become for them that they are ready to go over there and take action.

But this is the right course of action to take as Kosovo is going nowhere fast and the pressure is building up for that almighty explosion against that west as much was promised but little has been delivered. Look at Macedonia – you don’t have to tell me that the current violence is due to just hatred of Albanians and Macedonians – it’s the build up frustration of nothing happening; stagnation and unfulfilled promises.

Kosovo’s prison like status continues regardless of what agreements have been reached.

Autonomy means that your rights arent secured, and that you want to be ur own man! damn, the serbs have more rights than the albanians... its total nonsense! I hope it wont come to talks about the north, because it would start a new war. its a holy part of kosovo that is not negotiable! if the north is at stake, than its better being a province in serbia than having a "republic" with serbian influence!
I mean where is the problem?! They have so much rights, its not compairable to any minority in the world! Look at the albanians in macedonia or serbia, they would be gratefull for having half of the rights the serbs enjoy in kosovo!!!
Dont be like a person who cant get enough, u won the diplomatic battle with the 1244 status. stay to it and dont try to get more. every much gaining is going to end in a downfall. look at germany and the WW2!!

This is a westerner who is throwing out a fishing line as a possible solution to the Kosovo quagmire that has gone now for 12 years. The west has tried every possible manoeuvre from veiled threats to the Serbs to bribing impoverished countries to recognise an independent Kosovo, but nothing has worked.

The use of force is now totally out of the question and their puppet Tadic has once again proven to be a lame duck as the earlier incident between the Serbs and NATO had proven. Now we have a group of Serbs wagging the dog and treating KFOR, NATO and EULEX like trash and these forces cannot lift a finger so the humiliation of the west continues on the world stage.

You have only to read between the lines from some of the Albanian posts at how frustrating it has become for them that they are ready to go over there and take action.

But this is the right course of action to take as Kosovo is going nowhere fast and the pressure is building up for that almighty explosion against that west as much was promised but little has been delivered. Look at Macedonia – you don’t have to tell me that the current violence is due to just hatred of Albanians and Macedonians – it’s the build up frustration of nothing happening; stagnation and unfulfilled promises.

Kosovo’s prison like status continues regardless of what agreements have been reached.
(sj, 14 March 2012 23:17)
It is increasingly becoming apparent that due to your Serbian roots you think everything must be accomplished by force, one of the reasons we are here today.
Kfor and Eulex could move in and use force to quell the disruptions in the north but what would that accomplish. As shown by Milosevic anything less than total annilation of the opposing factors only brings years of problems and issues. But you think that taking the side of caution and diplomacy is an open sign of weakness, you do not understand the philosophy of trying to create a multiethnic society it is all or nothing with you. There is no urgency in the north, I repeat there is no urgency in the north with Kosovo only for Serbia. Why rush in and use force, create more problems than there exists today. If the goal of the intl presence was to force the Serbs out of the north that could be accomplished but the goal is to keep them there. If that is the goal then why create more and more tensions. Like you said the issues have been there for more than 12 years do they have to be solved in the spring of 2012, no.
You see the publicity that the violence in Libya, Syria, Sudan, etc, etc creates. While many on here want to portray the lives of Serbs in Kosovo as living in fear and violence, its not true and no one is buying it. Your hope is that Eulex and Kfor will start a crackdown so you can start ranting about the scourge of the northern Serbs. At this point they are seen as out of control and totally in the wrong as their position is not supported by either govts in Kosovo or Serbia or administration under res1244.
So again what is the hurry, is it really causing issues for anyone other than Serbia's EU aspirations at the present?? The way that Kfor and Eulex are handling the situation may be frustrating but it has kept the situation from escalating.
Other than Russia raising some rhetoric here and there you see NO international concern being shown and most of the people are just rolling their eyes when Russia speaks.
If the goal is a peaceful solution to the north this is the only way to go, it only enhances the west and the authorities position on the world stage, while diminishing the position of the Serbs.
Eventhough you want to portray that it is the fear of Russia that is keeping anything from happening, I think you are smart enough to know that Russia is not really going to risk a military engagement over some small area in the middle of Europe. Were this all of Serbia calling for help it May be different, but these people are acting in defiance of what they term their own govt. the big Russian partner Serbia. Any action would cause Serbia to get off the fence and side with either Russia and end any hopes of EU admission or side with EU and lose the valuable support in the UNSC of Russia.
It is a complex world out there and usually ultranationalistic approaches are not the best answers.

"The EU should start the process by appointing a high-level envoy to conduct talks with the parties involved," Lehne says, adding that it should end "Serbia's opposition to Kosovo's membership in international organizations and to further recognitions."

Absolutely agree. And I have just the name for that envoy too. A Nobel Peace Prize, Ahtisaari. He has experience, old material, knows the people, the problems, the region. His aides must know how to copy-paste. Change a comma here and there. And change the title from "Ahtisaari plan" to "We will get you tired with talks plan".

Now that I think about it, isn't this already happening? Stefanovic and Tahiri are the parties involved and they are having talks, and there is an envoy, "The Facilitator", Cooper. Do we want to have two sets of talks? Why not three sets of talks? Pull in the UN again, generate work, create jobs, articles, keep the economy going.

Finally a rational albanian Mirel. Albanians get nothing unless Serbia recognizes!

3. In exchange, Belgrade doesn't have to recognize, but it should not obstruct Kosovo from getting into more international institutions. If other countries want to or don't want to recognize " Kosovo* " that's up to them.
(Balkan Anthropologist, 14 March 2012 21:42)

Whether other countries recognize something is up to them alredy dear, they are not going to ask Serbia's permission for that.

How about giving autonomy to Albanian parts of Kosovo?

Commenting on the "4 Point Plan" for the future of Kosovo presented by Serbian President Boris Tadic in the fall of 2011, Lehne observes that "it confirms Belgrade's policy of nonrecognition of Priština's declaration of independence but advocates a solution within the existing boundaries of Kosovo."

Within the existing boundaries, yes. And they are no borders, since Kosovo is considered part of Serbia and not an independent country.

"The most interesting part of the initiative - and the reason why Western officials mostly responded positively - was the fact that it explicitly abandoned the notion of partition, he points out.

Partition would have been a chance for Kosovo to become a real country (Partion along the Ibar river, northern parts staying within Serbia, while Serbia will recognize the Albanian southern part as an own country).

The "autonomy" is alreday reached. Not even from Pristina, but from Serbia too. North Kosovo is de facto a zona franca, where even KFOR and EULEX, with there mandate can not do nothing. Is just a question of legitimation. BTW, I would recommend B92 to put an updated photograph of the bridge and everybody will see the price of the autonomy normal citizens are paying including us who should pay higher taxes to maintain the "peace" at any price.

(pss, 15 March 2012 08:22)

Yes you’re correct the violence I espouse is due to my background. That’s why Europe’s prisons are full of Albanians. Yes we Serbs also have revenge killings that go back 50, 60 and up to 80 years and that is the reason why our farmers carry arms openly to protect themselves from other families, opps, that Albanians again.

On a better note I see the US and their allies went into Afghanistan using peaceful means and have left Iraq a better place full freedom and democracy; I see that the US dropped feathers instead of bombs in Libya. I see how peaceful the west is in Syria arming insurgents (even helping Osama’s people to overthrown the current regime). Very peaceful indeed. I hate to see violence if these are peaceful methods.

Firstly, the plan for KFOR was bring the Serbs under Thaci’s control and if necessary use force with the help of NATO forces, but the trick was when do you used them so that the Serbs do not appear as the victim and create even a greater rise in nationalism in Serbia itself. The west has control over the Albanians and they are not a concerned as the west can if necessary tell your lot to behave “or we leave you to the Serbs and see how you go’.

The story about Milosevic wanting to annihilate the Albanians is utter crap.

The west has now reached a point where there are more important and pressing issues such as their survival with the US now well past the point of no return and heading like a runaway train to a Greek-style economic collapse and the EU trying to salvage the wreck called the EU. It does not have the time or money to continue with the “slowly slowly ” approach and want to settle the Kosovo problem. They had a multi ethnic state called Yugoslavia, but Kosovo will never be one as your lot kicked out every non Albanian including Croats, Turks and even your Albanian Roma who are Muslims – these people live next to the Serbs for protection, Hello!!!!!!, these are the same Serbs that wanted to supposedly annihilate all the Albanians.

I hate to say it but it is all very true that Serbs do suffer violence and do live in fear from their Albanian neighbours and this is not something new either – look at your Albanian Roma in Kosovo. My parents live next to a lady from Denmark and she has nephews who were part of KFOR and they despise Albanians, not because of who they are but as a result of what they have seen done by them. They are not so kind in their description – it involved human waste.

KFOR/NATO/EULEX or my grandmother’s angry cat will NEVER, and let me repeat this NEVER touch the Serbs. They are now beyond anyone’s reach. They will make sure that Kosovo remains in limbo for ever as they are protected by Moscow. This is what is eating away at the Albanians commenting on this site. Belgrade has become a captive of the Serbs in Kosovo.

As I have said many time KFOR/EULEX are not there to keep the status quo. They were placed to move the Serbs over to the forces of niceness and goodness, but are now trapped in a mess. In the eyes of the west the Serbs are the problem not the Albanians and now they cannot control the problem. If the international community rolls their eyes when Russia speaks why doesn’t the United States of Cretins attack Syria or Iran????? What are they waiting for??? A sign from God? This is the crap your western media feeds you par excellence.

If Russia will not engage in any military action what is the west waiting for????? But the west will use force in Kosovo when Halal pigs start flying. It is in the Russians interests to keep Kosovo in this state of turmoil. Who really cares about joining the EU? When will Albania join????? Surely Serbia is a pariah, but they are on the list above Albania. Joining the EU is only being peddled by the politicians who are being paid to sell this BS. With the South stream pipeline the Russians will dominate the EU like it or not. Try and work without energy.

Up until the 1990s I did not consider myself a Serb or even a Serbian nationalist nor even thought too much about Serbia until the west started to carry on its BS. I then made it a mission to learn who my people were and what they have done. Its nationalism that keeps a country together but if you disagree ask the Americans to stop carrying on about singing the national anthem or raising the flag in schools or for that matter their military taking the pledge to defends their country – its all called nationalism.

(sj, 16 March 2012 05:49)
Very good speech. I don't agree with any of it, but you spoke your mind.
I have never condemned nationalism it is a good thing, I speak only of ultranationalists and there is a huge difference. Kind of like the difference of having a glass of wine a day or having a fifth of whiskey, one is considered good for you.
As far as your mothers neighbor, could be true, but do you really think that she would be sitting there telling her Serbian friend/neighbor how much her sons who were in Kosovo hated the Serbs???
(pss, 16 March 2012 11:32)

Yes I am very good at my job and I am very well educated, but English seems to be a problem for you. I said “my parents” not my mother. The Danish lady is a widow who married an Australian and she still has family living in Denmark and two of her nephews were in KFOR in Kosovo. This lady does not spend one moment on the subject of Kosovo, but it was an amusing statement as she is totally neutral on the subject of Albanians or Serbs. She was only conveying what her family members said about your lot.
Now I find it amusing that nationalist are OK but ultranationalist are evil. Now we can have ultranationalist in the US because they are for freedom and democracy but anyone else is nasty.

I also love your fictional Danish friends. keep posting as you're good for a chuckle. I'd love to know who shot Kennedy, i'm sure you have inside information on that one too
(Nikolle,
Please publish a book, as you seem to know what REALLY happened in the wars of former Yugoslavia. My impression, you're paranoid or have watched one James Bond film too many. you still haven't told me what Kosovo is strategic for
(Nikolle, 16 March 2012 11:36) 6 March 2012 11:40)
Now read carefully what I have posted earlier and my response to pss. It seems you Albanians have a clear problem with the English language. I can write a history on Yugoslavia and the reasons for the wars and they have NOTHING to do with the US saving Albanians as you are expendable much like the people of Bahrain – even Thaci killed his own people to please the US. Albanians were useful at the time, but when no longer needed or the west cannot support financially you are gone. Chuckle all you like but time is running out for your thieves and I hope you are sending lots of money so they can learn them to swim as the Adriatic is a large stretch of water.
However, if you disagree please list how useful the Albanians in Kosovo are to the EU – can wait to have a good laugh.

autonomy for KiM within Serbia is the maximum. everything else is out of question.

...dreaming about "independence" may be caressing the k-albanian soul, but reality is that they will have to come to reason. sooner or later.

..in their very own interest.

It is increasingly becoming apparent that due to your Serbian roots you think everything must be accomplished by force, one of the reasons we are here today.
(pss, 15 March 2012 08:22)

I don't think sj has Serbian roots; otherwise he/she would not hate Serbs so much to the point of having an itch for Albanians/KFOR/EULEX etc to use force against them.

(sj, 16 March 2012 05:49)
Very good speech. I don't agree with any of it, but you spoke your mind.
I have never condemned nationalism it is a good thing, I speak only of ultranationalists and there is a huge difference. Kind of like the difference of having a glass of wine a day or having a fifth of whiskey, one is considered good for you.
As far as your mothers neighbor, could be true, but do you really think that she would be sitting there telling her Serbian friend/neighbor how much her sons who were in Kosovo hated the Serbs???

sj

Please publish a book, as you seem to know what REALLY happened in the wars of former Yugoslavia. My impression, you're paranoid or have watched one James Bond film too many. you still haven't told me what Kosovo is strategic for

sj

I also love your fictional Danish friends. keep posting as you're good for a chuckle. I'd love to know who shot Kennedy, i'm sure you have inside information on that one too

sj

I am throwing myself at your mercy...EDUCATE ME. what is Kosovo strategic for? what can the US get in Kosovo that they can't get anywhere else? why was Kosovo only needed in 1999? why not 1963? 1912? 1765? go ahead, what can the 'evil' US do in Kosovo and Kosovo only that they apparently can't do anywhere else? you really need to get rid of your paranoia. a very simple explanation, far more logical of course, takes care of everything that so bothers you, it was Serbia's fault. why would ALL Yugoslav nations want to cede? why? because the West made them do it? why didn't they make them do it in 1923? or in 1976? you really have no idea what you're talking about. but i am asking you to elucidate to me what Kosovo is useful for? go ahead explain

The west did not want to go into Kosovo but Serbia proper as it wanted to expand NATO and as Serbia is at the cross roads between the west and east it is a vital strategic point. Kosovo was a last option, nothing else. Why did the US/NATO build Camp Bondsteel? its to intimidate the locals by showing off their military power – the strategy is simple and is studied in the first few months in all military academies throughout the world.
It has nothing to do with hating the Serbs or loving the Albanians; it is achieving their primary objective and that was to bring the region under NATO control. Make an attempt and get in the way of the US and see how long you last. Once again it has nothing to do with one people or the other but reaching their objective and how they do that is simple. You do it using any means possible.
Now if you think the US likes the Albanians why have they not brought industry to that region??? I’m sure they can convince their partners such as Germany or France to open factories making Renault parts or perhaps some of the many good that products made by Siemens.
It not paranoia it the fact that people can’t accept that the US went into Kosovo for its own reasons not to “save the Albanians”, but the latter is being sold to everyone else. That is how it works; if I am wrong why didn’t the US stop Saudi Arabia from using military force in another sovereign country called Bahrain? Surely these people also wanted democracy and to remove the shackles of oppression from a brutal ruler? Surely if Syria needs to be freed so does Bahrain????
The breakup of Yugoslavia occurred because Berlin wanted a group of small sates all dependent on her. When they lost control they ran to Washington for help and the rest we all know. Why was this not done in 1923 or 1976 you ask? Well they were different times and in 1923 the Serbs just came out of WW1 with the rest of the allies and Yugoslavia was just formed and in 1976 they US could not do it as they were fighting a cold War with the Soviet Union and there would have been war if the balance was altered. This is a very very simple explanation and you need to read up on those two periods to understand why things happened.
Now you ask why did the people then cede from Yugoslavia? Yes they voted to leave as the politicians promised streets paved with gold and they ended up with just bricks. You see no one has the guts to do a real survey in these countries today and ask the question if they could would they like the clock turned back? A few sample polls have been done and the results were not pretty as the vast majority said yes, life was much better then compared to now. Ask the Croatians how comfortable life is in that country today. Just watch their HTV. Slovenia was left untouched and now has huge problems – it is too small a country and all its industry has or will soon leave and relocated to Serbia. Jadranka Kosor was asked a question by a factory worker
why doesn’t Croatia entice outsiders to open industry in Croatia?” The answer was “we and all past administrations have attempted many times, but we are too small and no one will open industry here”.
Why is the EU forcing these new countries to go back and trade as they did when they were part of Yugoslavia???? People are the last to be asked on any subject, it is and will always be INTERSTS that control events.
Yes the Serbs when to war but if they did not they would have been ripped to pieces and there would have been nothing left. The Serbs had to gouge out the best and they did just that. What is left is really not worth much. Serbia with RS is a self sustaining entity unlike the rest which need heavy injections of EU assistance.
Kosovo is worthless as it does not have anything there except mouths to feed – I am not being unpleasant but telling you this as any business entrepreneur would. It is of some value to the Serbs because of their history etc, but otherwise it is an unsustainable stretch of land. To be called a real country you have to have enough water and mineral resources. You have to have a means of employing people; you have to be able to raise taxes to pay for education health, defense, building of roads etc. Kosovo has none of these and the EU will never allow it to join up with Albania.

and again you keep using words like strategically important point. strategically important for what? what is Serbia strategic for? there was no Bondsteel from 1945-1999, the US did not suffer. let me tell you what you're doing, you're looking to blame everybody,. EVERYBODY but Serbs themselves. allow me to ask you a simple question, did Serbia do ANYTHING wrong in Kosovo? go ahead sunshine. after all, the Albanians seem to be happier to be 'used' by the US than they were under Belgrade, so its them you have to convince to be part of you again. why is that? seriously, the US can do no right. if it gets involved, its a bully, if it does nothing, its indifferent. again tell me, what is Serbia strategic for? what?

I can write a history on Yugoslavia and the reasons for the wars and they have NOTHING to do with the US saving Albanians as you are expendable much like the people of Bahrain
(sj, 16 March 2012 13:20)

Of course; everybody knows that… the Yankees only care about the money, not about Albanians or Bahrainians. That’s why they supported Kosovo’s UDI because it was a cheaper solution than forcing 2M Albanians to go back under Serbia. If the latter had been cheaper, no doubt US would have supported Serbia.
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Kosovo is worthless as it does not have anything there except mouths to feed
(sj, 17 March 2012 08:04)

Woow, I did not know Albanians in Kosovo were that smart to make half of the world help them even though they are worthless :)
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what is Serbia strategic for? what?
(Nikolle, 17 March 2012 12:59)

For sj’s and his/her Malaysian friend’s day dreams LOL