“Serbia should recognize Kosovo without north”

And Independence for RS to join Serbia!!

Dodik acually has something useful to say. Not being in Serbia, he can actually make a comment about Kosovo being lost without all sorts of consequences. It's hard to see how Kosovo south of the Ibar could ever be part of Serbia, so his proposal makes a lot of sense.

Of course it would also open the door to RS leaving Bosnia - he's not daft!

Let's say Kosovo does get partitioned, what then? Who gets to keep the name Kosovo? Serbia gets to keep it or does Serbia have to rename that part to something else?
What about the Serbs, who by the way, are in greater numbers in the rest of Kosovo? Are they not going to feel betrayed and sold out?
Do we reward theft with allowing them to keep part of Kosovo as a reward or as a bribe not to take the lot?
If someone stole my car I would not allow them to keep a wheel in order to get the rest back.
So how would all this work and how fair is it?

This is bs, in my opinion. The reason why I say this is because there are lots of serbs in eastern kosovo. Lots. We have many villages where there are basically no albanians. And then, we must not forget strpce, another enclave in the south.

If Kosova get's Preshevo valley then we might give away Zubin potok, Leposavic and Zvecan. Whole of Mitrovica stayes inside Kosova. If Rs get allowed to unite with Serbia then Western Macedonia should unite with Kosova and Albania.

Somthing else while we'r in it ???? Do anyone want anything more??

Demi

You underestimate Serbian people to believe that they will give up on "KOSOVO"

You know our history, how long were the Turks in the Balkans....eh, come on and we still stuck to our religion and kicked them out eventually and got back what was ours. Kosovo will be exactly the same but we won't have to wait as long by any means. You people think that your American/NATO friends are going to be there for ever, no siree, you dream if you believe that. Serbia is ours and Kosovo is a part of it and nobody will stop us getting it back.

Time is on our side and we will at the right time take back what belongs to us. You Albanians think that you can take parts of other peoples countries and have no consequences?? The Americans will collapse as those kind of regimes always do and then you will see the result where Kosovo is concerned. Keep up your hate rhetoric while you hide behind NATO, you did the same with Hitler and Hitler is gone as will NATO be. It is only a matter of time and we are patient. You have a nice day now Demi.

"For that reason, Belgrade should request that the north of Kosovo should remain within Serbia, and in return show that it recognizes the rest of Kosovo as a state," Dodik stressed.

Nice to see some realistic ideas that make sense, especially when its coming from a person like Dodik.

(ecoman, 6 September 2012 15:17)

Kosova got independent because it war between Serbs and Albanians. So there is no reason for the two people to live together. There is no other solution because Albanians will never want to live with Serbs. But if Kosova is not allowed to have Serbian minority then Serbia should not have Albanian minority either.

If Nortern Kosova should go to Serbia then sure Preshevo valley should go to Kosova. No special treatment for nobody!!


But none of this happend. Northern Kosova will integrate into the Kosova system and when Serbia is ready to join EU it will have to recognize Kosova as independent state.

Dodik is just honest to tell Serbia and serbs that Kosova Will not be a part of Serbia anymore. He is telling serbs the obvious and that is to give up Kosova.

Ian, UK, 6 September 2012 13:44

The Albanians would not lose anything in this scenario because they simply bite off a piece of Serbia for themselves. The fact they could not get an entirely Serbian region that is connected to the rest of Serbia to submit to occupier institutions that could not even stand on its own legs and would be completely powerless and irrelevant if it were not for obscure policies by countries much stronger than the entire Balkan region.

Accepting Kosovo as some 'shared state' in which the parts where Serbs live would act under Serbia and the parts where Albanians live can continue to be played by the KLA is a reasonable suggestion. But it could not just be the Serbian Monasteries that are considered separate from Pristina in the south. Novo Brdo, Strcpe and Gracanica must be completely governed by Serbia.

The KLA will never accept that however. Because then it would become very apparent which parts of Kosovo i Metohija are developing and which parts, despite billions of dollars in aid and grants, are still facing severe 3rd world standards.

And the Albs on here just eat it up. Arrogantly thinking you can control Mitrovica and not seeing what your OWN PEOPLE are doing to you. Instead, you dehumanize the Serbian people in KiM as if they are the reason your life sucks.

It's like if you're not trying to be pragmatic and put peace above your perceived sense of entitlement, then why should Serbs? We should fight until extinction for our holy province.

Any serb that agrees with this statement is a disgrace. In other words, your giving up and have been defeated. It seems like someone else is being bought by the western puppets. Why would Serbia do this when this could of been done a long time ago and when you look at the bigger picture, Serbs will have given Kosovo up only in exchange to keep a small part of the land. What about all the Serbs living in Southern Kosovo, in other wards, screw them? Be realistic, Serbia is doing fine being patient about the whole situation, do you actually believe that there will be EU forces for the next 20 years? Not a chance.

How come no one else has said this before??

Well, at least he is realistic!! I don't particularly share his views in other issues, but in this one he is realistic.

Realistic sensible soultion. Everybody wins and everybody loses.

Why drag out this constant bickering and arguing between politicians, when people are suffering and a solution is available ready? No party comes out on top with this solution either. The Serbs in the North don't want to live in Kosovo therefore Northern Kosovo can be fully intergrated into the Republic of Serbia and there will be no need for North Kosovo Serbs to be isolated any more. Kosovo can be more accepted by the international community and join more Organisations and get access to funds and development. All normal everyday people in Kosovo and the surrounding region will benifit from such a solution.

I still think though that Kosovo should give some autonomy to the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, to a similar level that the Greek Orthodox Church has on Mount Athos.

"If Nortern Kosova should go to Serbia then sure Preshevo valley should go to Kosova. No special treatment for nobody!! "
(Demi, 6 September 2012 15:57)

Why? The few people in Preshevo valley can enjoy the same status (but hopefully not treatment) within Serbia as the few Serbs in Gracanica and other enclaves have in Kosovo.

That's far more than Albanians could ever gain. Any kind of Recognition is a revaluation Kosovo not deserve. No country is going to recognize Kosovo's statehood anymore. The image is as disastrous as the situation on the ground. Nevertheless there has to be negotiation with Tirana to pacify the Serb and Albanian nation by partitioning Kosovo and Metohija. Kosovo-Albanians meanwhile should have understand, that a Kosovo statehood does not make sense.

It's not up to you, Demi, so there is little to say to your proposal.s. The question here is Kosovo, and not RS, or Macedonia, or Presevo, or any other place in the Balkans. A solution must be found for KiM, and it will nothing to do with other places where Albanians live. Should we also throw in Brooklyn and Berlin, since following your logic, there are Albanians residing there also? What is it with you people?

What Balkans needs is a municipality by municipality referendum for which country people want to live in. They need to be offered Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and Macedonia as choices (Kosovo wouldn’t be likely to get any votes if Albania was offered). After the first round of referendum in which little enclaves/exclaves are likely to be formed exclaves can then choose which neighboring country they whish to join. This is the only way to have a lasing peace in the Balkans. Every other solution requires a large military presence and a constant threat of war. Why is it that in the twenty first century people need to fight wars to decide how to organize themselves within what is for all practical purposes the same country (EU). People should have the right to decide how to organize their local governments, and which Republic those local governments should belong to.

Interesting proposition,but as Dodik says it should have been proposed earlier.
13 years earlier and everyone would have been OK with this proposition.
Now is too late,all improrant actors( not albanians and serbs) are against it.
As usual propositions from serbian side are coming 13-20 years late.Dodik proposition is 13 years late,Nikolic's(status of albanians like germans in Belgum) 20 years late.
But at least they are moving forward although slowly.At least they are realising that they never will rule albanians again and thats a good start.

@andy UK

I think so too, This statement is in Dodik's interest...

My opinion on this is Kosovo just stays Serbian, about Bosnia: Bosnia will not split.

But I would like to see one day in the future when Bosnia and Serbia and Montenegro join each other as one country but that is up to another discussion. We are after all the same people, have the same language/culture/traditions.

Accepting Kosovo as some 'shared state' in which the parts where Serbs live would act under Serbia and the parts where Albanians live can continue to be played by the KLA is a reasonable suggestion. But it could not just be the Serbian Monasteries that are considered separate from Pristina in the south. Novo Brdo, Strcpe and Gracanica must be completely governed by Serbia.

The KLA will never accept that however. Because then it would become very apparent which parts of Kosovo i Metohija are developing and which parts, despite billions of dollars in aid and grants, are still facing severe 3rd world standards.

And the Albs on here just eat it up. Arrogantly thinking you can control Mitrovica and not seeing what your OWN PEOPLE are doing to you. Instead, you dehumanize the Serbian people in KiM as if they are the reason your life sucks.

It's like if you're not trying to be pragmatic and put peace above your perceived sense of entitlement, then why should Serbs? We should fight until extinction for our holy province.
(Ari Gold, 6 September 2012 16:18)

I love how this guy pretends to be a real Serb.

Do you think Serbia will have a say in anything at the rate it is spiraling down. I don't think their will be much left of Serbia in so many ways. You can thank your short sighted bind politicians the blind leading the blind watch for the cliff oops. Serbia had 20 years ago to do the rite things it chose to do horrible wrongs even now it continues on its blind blissfully ignorant ways.
(Lenard, 6 September 2012 19:30)

Serbia has nothing to gain by simply keeping northern kosovo and giving up the rest of kosovo. Tell me how Serbia will benefit from this. It will create even more conflict as there will be even more Albanians flourishing the area from Albania and slowly the invasion will take place. The tension and problems will not stop between the serbs and Albanians, so what would be the point of recognizing kosovo. Come up with a decent conclusion because there isn't one, and Serbia won't bow down and praise Islam because that's what they would be doing if they recognized Kosovo.

Serbia has leverage with Kosovo and if they ever gave that up Serbia would be toast.

no one is going to ask you Peggy :-)
(Nikolle, 7 September 2012 00:24)
========================
Is that the best you got? How old are you?

In Vain.

The Kosovo Albanians,
could have come up with this Solution a long time ago,
but they did not.
The Kosovo Albanians will ceep Northern Kosovo.

Arn.Sweden.

If Nortern Kosova should go to Serbia then sure Preshevo valley should go to Kosova. No special treatment for nobody!!

But none of this happend. Northern Kosova will integrate into the Kosova system and when Serbia is ready to join EU it will have to recognize Kosova as independent state.

Dodik is just honest to tell Serbia and serbs that Kosova Will not be a part of Serbia anymore. He is telling serbs the obvious and that is to give up Kosova.
(Demi, 6 September 2012 15:57) i dont think so buddy because preshovo valley does NOT have a albanian majority so keep dreaming...

And Independence for RS to join Serbia!!
(Champion for the underdog, 6 September 2012 13:25)

Without Srebrenica and many other places.

Serbia is doing fine being patient about the whole situation, do you actually believe that there will be EU forces for the next 20 years? Not a chance.
(cG, 6 September 2012 17:54) Do you think Serbia will have a say in anything at the rate it is spiralling down. I don't think their will be much left of Serbia in so many ways. You can thank your short sighted bind politicians the blind leading the blind watch for the cliff oops. Serbia had 20 years ago to do the rite things it chose to do horrible wrongs even now it continues on its blind blissfully ignorant ways.

Bratunac, according to Yugoslav census data was a muslim village before the war. Early on in the war, it was ethnically cleansed by Serbs.

Is this what he means by "crimes we shouldn't forget", or is he talking about the some 200 civilian deaths (according to the Bosnian Serbian Army statistics), when soldiers from Srebernica launched raids to find food?

This policy is completely unacceptable, if we were to follow this then the Serbs stuck in the rest of Kosovo would become the victims to a far greater terror than they experience now. Terror committed by the albanian people is bad enough, but if we agree to this then we are effectively giving up our battle and are allowing the albanians to complete their campaign of the ethnic cleansing of Serbs from their ethnic heartland. I never trusted Dodik, and now I am just in having not done so, there is definately a hidden agenda to his statement.

@Demi, your comments are laughable and bear no substance. You cant just suggest that if Serbia gets northern Kosovo then albanians get Presevo, it is a crime in the first place that you people are running riot around Kosovo, you show nothing but arrogance demanding Presevo. Even so not even NATO supports Presevo joining an albanian run Kosovo, so dream on, you couldn't defeat us single handedly in Kosovo until NATO came along and you failed shortly after in Presevo. Dont kid yourself into thinking you have independence anyway, the fact is Kosovo is run by NATO, which isn't independence, you are the pawns of NATO and the albanian people are too thick to realise it. Its going to be rather painful when NATO gives up on its Kosovo conquest to take on bigger issues in the Middle East, then remember you are an alien nation surrounded by Orthodox Christian nations which all have grievances with the albanian people.

Serbia should recognize Kosovo without north”

Problem Mr.Dodik. Presevo Valley,Medvedj,Bujanovc add up to the same number of people as the Serbs in Kosovo. And they don't like living under Serbia either. So why don't give them the same status as the serbs in N.Kosovo?
(Mark, 6 September 2012 21:57) sorry you albanians are now only 35,000 from 60,000 in that area of serbia and now the minority and not the majority and your only a majority in 1 town in the preshovo valley....

(Peggy, 6 September 2012 13:54)

The geographical region of Kosovo would still be known as "Kosovo", as it is now. The state of Kosovo would be known offically as the "Republic of Kosovo" but would be reffered to as "Kosovo" colloquially, as it is now. Northern Kosovo intergrated into Serbia would still be classed as part of the geographical region of Kosovo, as it is now. They could give it an offical name such as "Northern Kosovo" or "North Kosovo".

It is similar with Ireland, the state is known as simply "Ireland" even though it doesn't cover the entirety of the region/ isle of Ireland. The Island of Ireland is also known as Ireland. The UK part is known as Northern Ireland and it lies in the geographical Isle/ Region of Ireland. It is similar with Macedonia too.

With Kosovo I really don't think there would be a need to rename anything and I really don't think there would be an issue with names either.

Having had the 'pleasure'of working closely with Mr Dodik for nearly ten years I can but agree with those who believe that his main motivation in making these comments is the future of the RS not that of Kosovo Serbs. This is not to say that he has no interest in Kosovo but that his goal is an independent RS. He knows that while Serbia refuses to accept independence of at least some part of Kosovo the argument for a similar status for the RS is weak and contradictory. Many insults have been thrown at Dodik but he is anything but a fool and by far the shrewdest (and richest) politician in BiH.

"Who gets to keep the name Kosovo? Serbia gets to keep it or does Serbia have to rename that part to something else? "
(Peggy, 6 September 2012 13:54)

That's a non-issue: Kosovo would be the Serbian province, the newly created state would officially be called FYPOK, Former Yugoslav Province of Kosovo. This solution works well with Macedonia :)

What about the Serbs, who by the way, are in greater numbers in the rest of Kosovo? Are they not going to feel betrayed and sold out?

(Peggy, 6 September 2012 13:54)

Till now all your comments claim that ;there is handful of Serbs south of Ibar, which in reality are over 120.000. Thanks to Dodik for making you say the truth that most Serbs are south of Ibar.

With Kosovo I really don't think there would be a need to rename anything and I really don't think there would be an issue with names either.
(Ian, UK, 6 September 2012 15:09)

I disagree, the newly independent state should have been renamed as the Dardanian Republic. However, they are still progressing much better than Albania in renaming street names.

I can understand that Mr.Dodik is mentioning "recognition" of a part of southern serbian territory, since he is thinking of something similar in regard to the serb republic, what will some day in the future become western Serbia, anyway.

but,

there is nothing to recognize, since it is all serbian land, and the Albanians only live there, it is simply not theirs.

so, remarks like his are not very smart though.

let some time pass, and we will liberate what is ours. historically, legally and morally.

there is nothing to be afraid of, my dear k-albanian friends. who has not done anything wrong, will be staying I guess.

but those who comitted crimes, should know when it is time to go.

because Serbia will prevail. and we do not forget, and we do not forgive.

It is similar with Ireland, the state is known as simply "Ireland" even though it doesn't cover the entirety of the region/ isle of Ireland. The Island of Ireland is also known as Ireland. The UK part is known as Northern Ireland and it lies in the geographical Isle/ Region
=================================

It most definitely cannot be compared.
If Kosovo never had a name and was simply always knows an just Serbia then you might have a point and Albanians can rule that part knows as Southern Serbia because it is still part of Serbia but breaking away completely and retaining the name Kosovo is not on.

Please everyone: think out of the box. This includes US, EU and the West!

Referendum in all parts of Kosovo and Bosnia: you want to be part of which country.

Probably things will be very close to:

RS to Serbia
Northern Kosovo stays (!) Serbian
Rest of Kosovo independent (maybe apart from some enclaves that will remain part of Serbia)

Maybe it is wise to throw Croatians in Bosnia into the equation...

Good luck to all!

It is clear that current situation does not work!

“Serbia should recognize Kosovo without north”

Problem Mr.Dodik. Presevo Valley,Medvedj,Bujanovc add up to the same number of people as the Serbs in Kosovo. And they don't like living under Serbia either. So why don't give them the same status as the serbs in N.Kosovo?

Serbia is ours and Kosovo is a part of it and nobody will stop us getting it back.
(Steve Gligorijevic, 6 September 2012 17:39)

There is only a small obstacle, UNSCR 1244 which does not allow Serb forces to return to Kosovo except for an "agreed number", but, yes, as soon as UNSCR 1244 is abolished, nobody will stop you from getting it back. Unfortunately Serbia is a strong supporter of UNSCR 1244 :)

It most definitely cannot be compared.
If Kosovo never had a name and was simply always knows an just Serbia then you might have a point and Albanians can rule that part knows as Southern Serbia because it is still part of Serbia but breaking away completely and retaining the name Kosovo is not on.
(Peggy, 6 September 2012 23:04)

But it is the same as Ireland. Georgraphically Ireland and Kosovo are both defined areas, but the states using that name do no administrate the entire defined area of the region with that name. So what are you saying? They should rename it? Or that Serbia has copyright over the name "Kosovo" (Remember the Serbian Langauge has offical status in Kosovo per the Constitution of Kosovo.)? Because "Kosovo" origniates from an old Serbian word. That'd be like me saying they can't call Ireland "Ireland" because it is an English name and they should call it by it's Irish name "Éire". See how ridiculous and stupid that is?

what what are you stupid, do you know that in next decad Sanxhak will join his mother Kosovo !

no one is going to ask you Peggy :-)

(Demi, 6 September 2012 14:47)

Demi you are a funny man. Serbians got resolution 12 44 and Dayton agreement, after almost 5 years of war in which over 100 000 people died. You think that you can partition Macedonia or get Albanian Republic there, without a fight with local population and NATO? Serbian Republic in Bosnia is a country more than Kosovo will ever be in the future.

And the Albs on here just eat it up. Arrogantly thinking you can control Mitrovica
(Ari Gold, 6 September 2012 16:18)

Albs have eaten it up already, dear, when they approved the Ahtisaari plan which allows Serbs in North Kosovo to govern their own local affairs as they are indeed doing in accordance with the Ahtisaari plan.

Even if some Albs or all Albs wanted to abolish Serbs' ability to govern their own local affairs, they cannot do it because Kosovo's Constitution requires Serbs' consent to be modified.

So there is nothing for you to worry about.

What is all the fuss about?! Dodik has not said anything which we have not heard before. Everyone calm down. The reality on the ground will not change because some nut from BiH likes to shoot off his mouth whenever he sees a mic.

"With Kosovo I really don't think there would be a need to rename anything and I really don't think there would be an issue with names either."
(Ian, UK, 6 September 2012 15:09)

It's even easier, no need for North and South and whatever: 'Kosovo' is the Serbian part, while 'Kosova' is the Albanian part, and everyone is happy about the name :)

That'd be like me saying they can't call Ireland "Ireland" because it is an English name and they should call it by it's Irish name "Éire". See how ridiculous and stupid that is?
(Ian, UK, 7 September 2012 09:57)
=======================================

You are being ridiculous. The Irish themselves are choosing to call their land whatever they want just like Serbs are choosing to call their land whatever they want. The English have no right to choose anything for the Irish just like Albanians don't have any right to choose anything for the Serbs. Ireland is Irish in it's entirety and the fact that the Brits have decided to play in one area doesn't make it British. It will all be worked out properly one day.
The same with Serbia. Kosovo is Serbian and Albanians have no right to it's territory or it's name.
But it you want to compare the two then let's. Albania (Britain in Ireland's case) then should rename Serbia and then call Kosovo Southern Dardania and let's see if Serbia will chance her name to Dardania. Isn't that what you are saying happened in Ireland?
Seriously, how much sense does comparing the two make now?

Why don't they just reconstitute the territory of Yugoslavia as a confederation of the 6 states, Kosovo & Vojvodina are autonomous provinces of Serbia and there are no more borders where now we have 6+1 administrative crossing.
(Oblic, 7 September 2012 23:58)

Because that ended so well last time.

Solution: Kosovo depends for 80% on Serbia to supply power and proper water. I would cut this supply for some period, even for 1/2/3/4 years if necessary and eventually albanians will end up going back where they came from. It worked in Puglia with Mafia people, the municipality simply cut water and these guys moved away freeing the lovely old town of Bari. Albanians are stubborn people, amazing to claim what doesn't belong to them, and we know something about it in Italy...Ajmo!

Can't help but wander about the implications on the ground of quarrels in forums such as this. Some may suggest that there is no point really, perhaps just a valve to blow unnecessary anger. One sad thing noted is the simplistic view and animosity that exists between the parties.

The reason for this comment stems from a puzzled mind which read the comments that lack rationality in the support of opinions.

Oh please lets just move on with life. Let Northern Kosovo and all the Serbian enclaves south of the Ibar remain under Serbian Sovereignty and Territorial integrity and give the Albanians the Albanian populated areas of the Presevo Valley. Case Closed.

@ Jovan

"there is nothing to recognize, since it is all serbian land, and the Albanians only live there, it is simply not theirs.

let some time pass, and we will liberate what is ours. historically, legally and morally.

there is nothing to be afraid of, my dear k-albanian friends. who has not done anything wrong, will be staying I guess.

but those who comitted crimes, should know when it is time to go.

because Serbia will prevail. and we do not forget, and we do not forgive."


Jovan, your comment above is exactly what I would write except that when you refer to Albanians I would refer to Serbians and when you refer to Serbia i would refer to Albania.

It's shocking to me that we are so similar, even though i don't want to be related to Serbia & Serbians in any way. But lately i have realized that I rather be your friend than your enemy. I don't want you or your son or your grandson or any generation after that to fight me, my son, my grandson or any generation after that. I'm not worried about my albanian brothers/soldiers - i'm worried about the albanian civilians.

Albanians don't forget and don't forgive either, so next time make sure GOD is with you, because if it's not, then albanians won't be nice guys anymore - because albanians know that serbians have spilled way more albanian blood in kosovo then albanians have spilled serbian blood.

GOD BE WITH US ALL.

Why don't they just reconstitute the territory of Yugoslavia as a confederation of the 6 states, Kosovo & Vojvodina are autonomous provinces of Serbia and there are no more borders where now we have 6+1 administrative crossing.

Again I say this is a horrible idea. Serbia doesn't even have to wait for NATO to leave, it can fight NATO because it has its own allies in NATO currently on the ground in Kosovo: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Spain and Greece and Russia can be channeled through those allies. What Serbia needs to do is stop this Northern Kosovo negotiation, stop all the attempts at asking the west for mercy to return them their Albanian populated province because what are they gonna do with an angry Albanian absolute majority province. They need to use their allies in NATO to rebuild their homes, their churches, their monasteries their monuments and return to the province. Then they can ask for it back, but with a near 100% majority Albanian population outside Serb enclaves it just aint gonna happen if they carry on in the way they have been since 2004. And Serbi definitely does not need the EU.

I understand the mess about kosovo as for both parts it`s an issue of high importance , but going through some comments I don`t understand one thing , why do u say kosovo was always serbian and serbia is the real rightfull owner when I in my university learned that albanians are descedants of illyrians which btw where people ruling in western balkans hundreds of year BC ? slavs came in the 6th century . How come serbs are the rightfull owners of kosovo ? Because they built some churches? Because they ruled kosovo for a few hundred years?

Anybody care to explain it to me? some facts would be appreciated :)

If Kosova get's Preshevo valley then we might give away Zubin potok, Leposavic and Zvecan. Whole of Mitrovica stayes inside Kosova. If Rs get allowed to unite with Serbia then Western Macedonia should unite with Kosova and Albania.

Somthing else while we'r in it ???? Do anyone want anything more??

Let's say Kosovo does get partitioned, what then? Who gets to keep the name Kosovo? Serbia gets to keep it or does Serbia have to rename that part to something else?
What about the Serbs, who by the way, are in greater numbers in the rest of Kosovo? Are they not going to feel betrayed and sold out?
Do we reward theft with allowing them to keep part of Kosovo as a reward or as a bribe not to take the lot?
If someone stole my car I would not allow them to keep a wheel in order to get the rest back.
So how would all this work and how fair is it?

That's far more than Albanians could ever gain. Any kind of Recognition is a revaluation Kosovo not deserve. No country is going to recognize Kosovo's statehood anymore. The image is as disastrous as the situation on the ground. Nevertheless there has to be negotiation with Tirana to pacify the Serb and Albanian nation by partitioning Kosovo and Metohija. Kosovo-Albanians meanwhile should have understand, that a Kosovo statehood does not make sense.

(ecoman, 6 September 2012 15:17)

Kosova got independent because it war between Serbs and Albanians. So there is no reason for the two people to live together. There is no other solution because Albanians will never want to live with Serbs. But if Kosova is not allowed to have Serbian minority then Serbia should not have Albanian minority either.

If Nortern Kosova should go to Serbia then sure Preshevo valley should go to Kosova. No special treatment for nobody!!


But none of this happend. Northern Kosova will integrate into the Kosova system and when Serbia is ready to join EU it will have to recognize Kosova as independent state.

Dodik is just honest to tell Serbia and serbs that Kosova Will not be a part of Serbia anymore. He is telling serbs the obvious and that is to give up Kosova.

Bratunac, according to Yugoslav census data was a muslim village before the war. Early on in the war, it was ethnically cleansed by Serbs.

Is this what he means by "crimes we shouldn't forget", or is he talking about the some 200 civilian deaths (according to the Bosnian Serbian Army statistics), when soldiers from Srebernica launched raids to find food?

Ian, UK, 6 September 2012 13:44

The Albanians would not lose anything in this scenario because they simply bite off a piece of Serbia for themselves. The fact they could not get an entirely Serbian region that is connected to the rest of Serbia to submit to occupier institutions that could not even stand on its own legs and would be completely powerless and irrelevant if it were not for obscure policies by countries much stronger than the entire Balkan region.

Accepting Kosovo as some 'shared state' in which the parts where Serbs live would act under Serbia and the parts where Albanians live can continue to be played by the KLA is a reasonable suggestion. But it could not just be the Serbian Monasteries that are considered separate from Pristina in the south. Novo Brdo, Strcpe and Gracanica must be completely governed by Serbia.

The KLA will never accept that however. Because then it would become very apparent which parts of Kosovo i Metohija are developing and which parts, despite billions of dollars in aid and grants, are still facing severe 3rd world standards.

And the Albs on here just eat it up. Arrogantly thinking you can control Mitrovica and not seeing what your OWN PEOPLE are doing to you. Instead, you dehumanize the Serbian people in KiM as if they are the reason your life sucks.

It's like if you're not trying to be pragmatic and put peace above your perceived sense of entitlement, then why should Serbs? We should fight until extinction for our holy province.

Realistic sensible soultion. Everybody wins and everybody loses.

Why drag out this constant bickering and arguing between politicians, when people are suffering and a solution is available ready? No party comes out on top with this solution either. The Serbs in the North don't want to live in Kosovo therefore Northern Kosovo can be fully intergrated into the Republic of Serbia and there will be no need for North Kosovo Serbs to be isolated any more. Kosovo can be more accepted by the international community and join more Organisations and get access to funds and development. All normal everyday people in Kosovo and the surrounding region will benifit from such a solution.

I still think though that Kosovo should give some autonomy to the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, to a similar level that the Greek Orthodox Church has on Mount Athos.

It's not up to you, Demi, so there is little to say to your proposal.s. The question here is Kosovo, and not RS, or Macedonia, or Presevo, or any other place in the Balkans. A solution must be found for KiM, and it will nothing to do with other places where Albanians live. Should we also throw in Brooklyn and Berlin, since following your logic, there are Albanians residing there also? What is it with you people?

If Nortern Kosova should go to Serbia then sure Preshevo valley should go to Kosova. No special treatment for nobody!!

But none of this happend. Northern Kosova will integrate into the Kosova system and when Serbia is ready to join EU it will have to recognize Kosova as independent state.

Dodik is just honest to tell Serbia and serbs that Kosova Will not be a part of Serbia anymore. He is telling serbs the obvious and that is to give up Kosova.
(Demi, 6 September 2012 15:57) i dont think so buddy because preshovo valley does NOT have a albanian majority so keep dreaming...

And Independence for RS to join Serbia!!
(Champion for the underdog, 6 September 2012 13:25)

Without Srebrenica and many other places.

Well, at least he is realistic!! I don't particularly share his views in other issues, but in this one he is realistic.

"For that reason, Belgrade should request that the north of Kosovo should remain within Serbia, and in return show that it recognizes the rest of Kosovo as a state," Dodik stressed.

Nice to see some realistic ideas that make sense, especially when its coming from a person like Dodik.

Demi

You underestimate Serbian people to believe that they will give up on "KOSOVO"

You know our history, how long were the Turks in the Balkans....eh, come on and we still stuck to our religion and kicked them out eventually and got back what was ours. Kosovo will be exactly the same but we won't have to wait as long by any means. You people think that your American/NATO friends are going to be there for ever, no siree, you dream if you believe that. Serbia is ours and Kosovo is a part of it and nobody will stop us getting it back.

Time is on our side and we will at the right time take back what belongs to us. You Albanians think that you can take parts of other peoples countries and have no consequences?? The Americans will collapse as those kind of regimes always do and then you will see the result where Kosovo is concerned. Keep up your hate rhetoric while you hide behind NATO, you did the same with Hitler and Hitler is gone as will NATO be. It is only a matter of time and we are patient. You have a nice day now Demi.

Any serb that agrees with this statement is a disgrace. In other words, your giving up and have been defeated. It seems like someone else is being bought by the western puppets. Why would Serbia do this when this could of been done a long time ago and when you look at the bigger picture, Serbs will have given Kosovo up only in exchange to keep a small part of the land. What about all the Serbs living in Southern Kosovo, in other wards, screw them? Be realistic, Serbia is doing fine being patient about the whole situation, do you actually believe that there will be EU forces for the next 20 years? Not a chance.

Serbia is doing fine being patient about the whole situation, do you actually believe that there will be EU forces for the next 20 years? Not a chance.
(cG, 6 September 2012 17:54) Do you think Serbia will have a say in anything at the rate it is spiralling down. I don't think their will be much left of Serbia in so many ways. You can thank your short sighted bind politicians the blind leading the blind watch for the cliff oops. Serbia had 20 years ago to do the rite things it chose to do horrible wrongs even now it continues on its blind blissfully ignorant ways.

what what are you stupid, do you know that in next decad Sanxhak will join his mother Kosovo !

Please everyone: think out of the box. This includes US, EU and the West!

Referendum in all parts of Kosovo and Bosnia: you want to be part of which country.

Probably things will be very close to:

RS to Serbia
Northern Kosovo stays (!) Serbian
Rest of Kosovo independent (maybe apart from some enclaves that will remain part of Serbia)

Maybe it is wise to throw Croatians in Bosnia into the equation...

Good luck to all!

It is clear that current situation does not work!

Interesting proposition,but as Dodik says it should have been proposed earlier.
13 years earlier and everyone would have been OK with this proposition.
Now is too late,all improrant actors( not albanians and serbs) are against it.
As usual propositions from serbian side are coming 13-20 years late.Dodik proposition is 13 years late,Nikolic's(status of albanians like germans in Belgum) 20 years late.
But at least they are moving forward although slowly.At least they are realising that they never will rule albanians again and thats a good start.

What about the Serbs, who by the way, are in greater numbers in the rest of Kosovo? Are they not going to feel betrayed and sold out?

(Peggy, 6 September 2012 13:54)

Till now all your comments claim that ;there is handful of Serbs south of Ibar, which in reality are over 120.000. Thanks to Dodik for making you say the truth that most Serbs are south of Ibar.

How come no one else has said this before??

@andy UK

I think so too, This statement is in Dodik's interest...

My opinion on this is Kosovo just stays Serbian, about Bosnia: Bosnia will not split.

But I would like to see one day in the future when Bosnia and Serbia and Montenegro join each other as one country but that is up to another discussion. We are after all the same people, have the same language/culture/traditions.

This policy is completely unacceptable, if we were to follow this then the Serbs stuck in the rest of Kosovo would become the victims to a far greater terror than they experience now. Terror committed by the albanian people is bad enough, but if we agree to this then we are effectively giving up our battle and are allowing the albanians to complete their campaign of the ethnic cleansing of Serbs from their ethnic heartland. I never trusted Dodik, and now I am just in having not done so, there is definately a hidden agenda to his statement.

@Demi, your comments are laughable and bear no substance. You cant just suggest that if Serbia gets northern Kosovo then albanians get Presevo, it is a crime in the first place that you people are running riot around Kosovo, you show nothing but arrogance demanding Presevo. Even so not even NATO supports Presevo joining an albanian run Kosovo, so dream on, you couldn't defeat us single handedly in Kosovo until NATO came along and you failed shortly after in Presevo. Dont kid yourself into thinking you have independence anyway, the fact is Kosovo is run by NATO, which isn't independence, you are the pawns of NATO and the albanian people are too thick to realise it. Its going to be rather painful when NATO gives up on its Kosovo conquest to take on bigger issues in the Middle East, then remember you are an alien nation surrounded by Orthodox Christian nations which all have grievances with the albanian people.

no one is going to ask you Peggy :-)

no one is going to ask you Peggy :-)
(Nikolle, 7 September 2012 00:24)
========================
Is that the best you got? How old are you?

And Independence for RS to join Serbia!!

This is bs, in my opinion. The reason why I say this is because there are lots of serbs in eastern kosovo. Lots. We have many villages where there are basically no albanians. And then, we must not forget strpce, another enclave in the south.

"Who gets to keep the name Kosovo? Serbia gets to keep it or does Serbia have to rename that part to something else? "
(Peggy, 6 September 2012 13:54)

That's a non-issue: Kosovo would be the Serbian province, the newly created state would officially be called FYPOK, Former Yugoslav Province of Kosovo. This solution works well with Macedonia :)

And the Albs on here just eat it up. Arrogantly thinking you can control Mitrovica
(Ari Gold, 6 September 2012 16:18)

Albs have eaten it up already, dear, when they approved the Ahtisaari plan which allows Serbs in North Kosovo to govern their own local affairs as they are indeed doing in accordance with the Ahtisaari plan.

Even if some Albs or all Albs wanted to abolish Serbs' ability to govern their own local affairs, they cannot do it because Kosovo's Constitution requires Serbs' consent to be modified.

So there is nothing for you to worry about.

Serbia is ours and Kosovo is a part of it and nobody will stop us getting it back.
(Steve Gligorijevic, 6 September 2012 17:39)

There is only a small obstacle, UNSCR 1244 which does not allow Serb forces to return to Kosovo except for an "agreed number", but, yes, as soon as UNSCR 1244 is abolished, nobody will stop you from getting it back. Unfortunately Serbia is a strong supporter of UNSCR 1244 :)

It most definitely cannot be compared.
If Kosovo never had a name and was simply always knows an just Serbia then you might have a point and Albanians can rule that part knows as Southern Serbia because it is still part of Serbia but breaking away completely and retaining the name Kosovo is not on.
(Peggy, 6 September 2012 23:04)

But it is the same as Ireland. Georgraphically Ireland and Kosovo are both defined areas, but the states using that name do no administrate the entire defined area of the region with that name. So what are you saying? They should rename it? Or that Serbia has copyright over the name "Kosovo" (Remember the Serbian Langauge has offical status in Kosovo per the Constitution of Kosovo.)? Because "Kosovo" origniates from an old Serbian word. That'd be like me saying they can't call Ireland "Ireland" because it is an English name and they should call it by it's Irish name "Éire". See how ridiculous and stupid that is?

I can understand that Mr.Dodik is mentioning "recognition" of a part of southern serbian territory, since he is thinking of something similar in regard to the serb republic, what will some day in the future become western Serbia, anyway.

but,

there is nothing to recognize, since it is all serbian land, and the Albanians only live there, it is simply not theirs.

so, remarks like his are not very smart though.

let some time pass, and we will liberate what is ours. historically, legally and morally.

there is nothing to be afraid of, my dear k-albanian friends. who has not done anything wrong, will be staying I guess.

but those who comitted crimes, should know when it is time to go.

because Serbia will prevail. and we do not forget, and we do not forgive.

In Vain.

The Kosovo Albanians,
could have come up with this Solution a long time ago,
but they did not.
The Kosovo Albanians will ceep Northern Kosovo.

Arn.Sweden.

What Balkans needs is a municipality by municipality referendum for which country people want to live in. They need to be offered Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and Macedonia as choices (Kosovo wouldn’t be likely to get any votes if Albania was offered). After the first round of referendum in which little enclaves/exclaves are likely to be formed exclaves can then choose which neighboring country they whish to join. This is the only way to have a lasing peace in the Balkans. Every other solution requires a large military presence and a constant threat of war. Why is it that in the twenty first century people need to fight wars to decide how to organize themselves within what is for all practical purposes the same country (EU). People should have the right to decide how to organize their local governments, and which Republic those local governments should belong to.

Accepting Kosovo as some 'shared state' in which the parts where Serbs live would act under Serbia and the parts where Albanians live can continue to be played by the KLA is a reasonable suggestion. But it could not just be the Serbian Monasteries that are considered separate from Pristina in the south. Novo Brdo, Strcpe and Gracanica must be completely governed by Serbia.

The KLA will never accept that however. Because then it would become very apparent which parts of Kosovo i Metohija are developing and which parts, despite billions of dollars in aid and grants, are still facing severe 3rd world standards.

And the Albs on here just eat it up. Arrogantly thinking you can control Mitrovica and not seeing what your OWN PEOPLE are doing to you. Instead, you dehumanize the Serbian people in KiM as if they are the reason your life sucks.

It's like if you're not trying to be pragmatic and put peace above your perceived sense of entitlement, then why should Serbs? We should fight until extinction for our holy province.
(Ari Gold, 6 September 2012 16:18)

I love how this guy pretends to be a real Serb.

With Kosovo I really don't think there would be a need to rename anything and I really don't think there would be an issue with names either.
(Ian, UK, 6 September 2012 15:09)

I disagree, the newly independent state should have been renamed as the Dardanian Republic. However, they are still progressing much better than Albania in renaming street names.

“Serbia should recognize Kosovo without north”

Problem Mr.Dodik. Presevo Valley,Medvedj,Bujanovc add up to the same number of people as the Serbs in Kosovo. And they don't like living under Serbia either. So why don't give them the same status as the serbs in N.Kosovo?

Do you think Serbia will have a say in anything at the rate it is spiraling down. I don't think their will be much left of Serbia in so many ways. You can thank your short sighted bind politicians the blind leading the blind watch for the cliff oops. Serbia had 20 years ago to do the rite things it chose to do horrible wrongs even now it continues on its blind blissfully ignorant ways.
(Lenard, 6 September 2012 19:30)

Serbia has nothing to gain by simply keeping northern kosovo and giving up the rest of kosovo. Tell me how Serbia will benefit from this. It will create even more conflict as there will be even more Albanians flourishing the area from Albania and slowly the invasion will take place. The tension and problems will not stop between the serbs and Albanians, so what would be the point of recognizing kosovo. Come up with a decent conclusion because there isn't one, and Serbia won't bow down and praise Islam because that's what they would be doing if they recognized Kosovo.

Serbia has leverage with Kosovo and if they ever gave that up Serbia would be toast.

Dodik acually has something useful to say. Not being in Serbia, he can actually make a comment about Kosovo being lost without all sorts of consequences. It's hard to see how Kosovo south of the Ibar could ever be part of Serbia, so his proposal makes a lot of sense.

Of course it would also open the door to RS leaving Bosnia - he's not daft!

(Peggy, 6 September 2012 13:54)

The geographical region of Kosovo would still be known as "Kosovo", as it is now. The state of Kosovo would be known offically as the "Republic of Kosovo" but would be reffered to as "Kosovo" colloquially, as it is now. Northern Kosovo intergrated into Serbia would still be classed as part of the geographical region of Kosovo, as it is now. They could give it an offical name such as "Northern Kosovo" or "North Kosovo".

It is similar with Ireland, the state is known as simply "Ireland" even though it doesn't cover the entirety of the region/ isle of Ireland. The Island of Ireland is also known as Ireland. The UK part is known as Northern Ireland and it lies in the geographical Isle/ Region of Ireland. It is similar with Macedonia too.

With Kosovo I really don't think there would be a need to rename anything and I really don't think there would be an issue with names either.

"If Nortern Kosova should go to Serbia then sure Preshevo valley should go to Kosova. No special treatment for nobody!! "
(Demi, 6 September 2012 15:57)

Why? The few people in Preshevo valley can enjoy the same status (but hopefully not treatment) within Serbia as the few Serbs in Gracanica and other enclaves have in Kosovo.

Serbia should recognize Kosovo without north”

Problem Mr.Dodik. Presevo Valley,Medvedj,Bujanovc add up to the same number of people as the Serbs in Kosovo. And they don't like living under Serbia either. So why don't give them the same status as the serbs in N.Kosovo?
(Mark, 6 September 2012 21:57) sorry you albanians are now only 35,000 from 60,000 in that area of serbia and now the minority and not the majority and your only a majority in 1 town in the preshovo valley....

It is similar with Ireland, the state is known as simply "Ireland" even though it doesn't cover the entirety of the region/ isle of Ireland. The Island of Ireland is also known as Ireland. The UK part is known as Northern Ireland and it lies in the geographical Isle/ Region
=================================

It most definitely cannot be compared.
If Kosovo never had a name and was simply always knows an just Serbia then you might have a point and Albanians can rule that part knows as Southern Serbia because it is still part of Serbia but breaking away completely and retaining the name Kosovo is not on.

"With Kosovo I really don't think there would be a need to rename anything and I really don't think there would be an issue with names either."
(Ian, UK, 6 September 2012 15:09)

It's even easier, no need for North and South and whatever: 'Kosovo' is the Serbian part, while 'Kosova' is the Albanian part, and everyone is happy about the name :)

Having had the 'pleasure'of working closely with Mr Dodik for nearly ten years I can but agree with those who believe that his main motivation in making these comments is the future of the RS not that of Kosovo Serbs. This is not to say that he has no interest in Kosovo but that his goal is an independent RS. He knows that while Serbia refuses to accept independence of at least some part of Kosovo the argument for a similar status for the RS is weak and contradictory. Many insults have been thrown at Dodik but he is anything but a fool and by far the shrewdest (and richest) politician in BiH.

That'd be like me saying they can't call Ireland "Ireland" because it is an English name and they should call it by it's Irish name "Éire". See how ridiculous and stupid that is?
(Ian, UK, 7 September 2012 09:57)
=======================================

You are being ridiculous. The Irish themselves are choosing to call their land whatever they want just like Serbs are choosing to call their land whatever they want. The English have no right to choose anything for the Irish just like Albanians don't have any right to choose anything for the Serbs. Ireland is Irish in it's entirety and the fact that the Brits have decided to play in one area doesn't make it British. It will all be worked out properly one day.
The same with Serbia. Kosovo is Serbian and Albanians have no right to it's territory or it's name.
But it you want to compare the two then let's. Albania (Britain in Ireland's case) then should rename Serbia and then call Kosovo Southern Dardania and let's see if Serbia will chance her name to Dardania. Isn't that what you are saying happened in Ireland?
Seriously, how much sense does comparing the two make now?

What is all the fuss about?! Dodik has not said anything which we have not heard before. Everyone calm down. The reality on the ground will not change because some nut from BiH likes to shoot off his mouth whenever he sees a mic.

Oh please lets just move on with life. Let Northern Kosovo and all the Serbian enclaves south of the Ibar remain under Serbian Sovereignty and Territorial integrity and give the Albanians the Albanian populated areas of the Presevo Valley. Case Closed.

Why don't they just reconstitute the territory of Yugoslavia as a confederation of the 6 states, Kosovo & Vojvodina are autonomous provinces of Serbia and there are no more borders where now we have 6+1 administrative crossing.

(Demi, 6 September 2012 14:47)

Demi you are a funny man. Serbians got resolution 12 44 and Dayton agreement, after almost 5 years of war in which over 100 000 people died. You think that you can partition Macedonia or get Albanian Republic there, without a fight with local population and NATO? Serbian Republic in Bosnia is a country more than Kosovo will ever be in the future.

I understand the mess about kosovo as for both parts it`s an issue of high importance , but going through some comments I don`t understand one thing , why do u say kosovo was always serbian and serbia is the real rightfull owner when I in my university learned that albanians are descedants of illyrians which btw where people ruling in western balkans hundreds of year BC ? slavs came in the 6th century . How come serbs are the rightfull owners of kosovo ? Because they built some churches? Because they ruled kosovo for a few hundred years?

Anybody care to explain it to me? some facts would be appreciated :)

@ Jovan

"there is nothing to recognize, since it is all serbian land, and the Albanians only live there, it is simply not theirs.

let some time pass, and we will liberate what is ours. historically, legally and morally.

there is nothing to be afraid of, my dear k-albanian friends. who has not done anything wrong, will be staying I guess.

but those who comitted crimes, should know when it is time to go.

because Serbia will prevail. and we do not forget, and we do not forgive."


Jovan, your comment above is exactly what I would write except that when you refer to Albanians I would refer to Serbians and when you refer to Serbia i would refer to Albania.

It's shocking to me that we are so similar, even though i don't want to be related to Serbia & Serbians in any way. But lately i have realized that I rather be your friend than your enemy. I don't want you or your son or your grandson or any generation after that to fight me, my son, my grandson or any generation after that. I'm not worried about my albanian brothers/soldiers - i'm worried about the albanian civilians.

Albanians don't forget and don't forgive either, so next time make sure GOD is with you, because if it's not, then albanians won't be nice guys anymore - because albanians know that serbians have spilled way more albanian blood in kosovo then albanians have spilled serbian blood.

GOD BE WITH US ALL.

Can't help but wander about the implications on the ground of quarrels in forums such as this. Some may suggest that there is no point really, perhaps just a valve to blow unnecessary anger. One sad thing noted is the simplistic view and animosity that exists between the parties.

The reason for this comment stems from a puzzled mind which read the comments that lack rationality in the support of opinions.

Why don't they just reconstitute the territory of Yugoslavia as a confederation of the 6 states, Kosovo & Vojvodina are autonomous provinces of Serbia and there are no more borders where now we have 6+1 administrative crossing.
(Oblic, 7 September 2012 23:58)

Because that ended so well last time.

Again I say this is a horrible idea. Serbia doesn't even have to wait for NATO to leave, it can fight NATO because it has its own allies in NATO currently on the ground in Kosovo: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Spain and Greece and Russia can be channeled through those allies. What Serbia needs to do is stop this Northern Kosovo negotiation, stop all the attempts at asking the west for mercy to return them their Albanian populated province because what are they gonna do with an angry Albanian absolute majority province. They need to use their allies in NATO to rebuild their homes, their churches, their monasteries their monuments and return to the province. Then they can ask for it back, but with a near 100% majority Albanian population outside Serb enclaves it just aint gonna happen if they carry on in the way they have been since 2004. And Serbi definitely does not need the EU.

Solution: Kosovo depends for 80% on Serbia to supply power and proper water. I would cut this supply for some period, even for 1/2/3/4 years if necessary and eventually albanians will end up going back where they came from. It worked in Puglia with Mafia people, the municipality simply cut water and these guys moved away freeing the lovely old town of Bari. Albanians are stubborn people, amazing to claim what doesn't belong to them, and we know something about it in Italy...Ajmo!