Germany "not asking for recognition of Kosovo"

The Rambouillet text, which called on Serbia to admit NATO troops throughout Yugoslavia, was a provocation, an excuse to start bombing. Rambouillet is not a document that an angelic Serb could have accepted. It was a terrible diplomatic document that should never have been presented in that form.[4]
—Henry Kissinger, Daily Telegraph, 28 June 1999

If you read Rambouillet the goals from the international community was actually a system where Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo all existed with equal powers as part of what was left of Yugoslavia. "

You probably never even read the Rambouillet "proposal". They proposed something that they knew Serbia would never agree to, 30 000 NATO personal to have access to all of Serbia, referendum within 3 years under NATO control which would obviously lead to independence. Can you think of ANY country that would accept such a "proposal" ?

@ J,

I was born & live in the US, I have a Serb father & mother that have taught me that every side has it's bad & good history. They have taught & I have studied balkan history from every side...I could tell you more wonderful Albanian history than you would ever know...also the dark periods. This goes for Serb history too.
I'm not here pretending to know how to fix today's issue's, but I do FIRMLY believe everyone cannot just start taking back what they deem is their's...Not Albanians, Not Serbs, Not Russians and definantly Not Americans...
'We expect our leaders to be better than we are. And they better be...or else why are we following them"?

Just a thought, Count of Kosova & a new day,

Stop already with the bitterness. If I started to write about the wrongs the Albanians have done, you would have nothing to say from embaressment.
AGAIN...BOTH Serb & Albanian people have MUCH to answer on judgement day...got it finally? A brainwashed ultranatioalist is one thing I am NOT! I could reply like sj did, but i'm not interested in tit for tat crap, I want solutions that WORK.
Yes, I am a Serb, but a very informed Serb.I am very thankful my father & mother raised me in the manner of charactor, not color or ethnicity. I am very proud to be Serb just like you should be proud to be Albanian! I have very dear Albanian friends that are also very well informed...all of us very well aware that the common folk is manipulated by people with agendas....
I also have Serbs people I know that I have to temper down with a dose of dark Serb history that usually shuts them up...
My point with Kosovo is that it HAS set a precedent for other countries to "gobble" up lands that they feel was rightfully theirs from the begining of time...This is not something i'm just saying, this is HAPPENING...Albanians could say' I don't care what happens anywhere else, as long as we get our Kosovo back"...but that doesn't solve anything. NO government is innocent of abuse, one way or another, against its own citizens. Just look whats happening here in the US with racism.
"All progress takes place outside the comfort zone"!

"The battle the Albanians were fighting for WAS to regain their minority rights that were stripped from them by Milosevic's Serbia. "

Really? And what kind of battle did they fight back in 1981 wanting more autonomity then they already had, schools in their own language, media in their own language and everything else was not enough and that was loooong before the Milosevic era.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_protests_in_Kosovo

Let's look at Taiwan...
Booming economically, Great lifestyle, Democratic Political system...
Yet, when all is said and done, the deed to the LAND is in China's hand.
Great setup....as long as China lets them prosper, invest with the West, vote and live happily, all is peaceful and quiet. Pretty fair, I think, as long as China doesn't become abusive.
This was offered to the Albanians in "more than autonamy, less than independence" originally...I feel they should have took it and run with it...great opportunity to show Serbia what they can do with that chance...Instead....?

(The Count of Kosova, 22 December 2014 23:49)
Then why did your Albos kick out everyone else? Croats, Turks etc. Why even Albanian Roma prefer to live next to Serbs settlements in Kosovo rather than near their fellow Albanians. This fact blows a huge hole in your propaganda of “ethnic cleansing, murder, rape and destruction of homes”.
Albanians are like Croats they hate everyone that is not one of their kind and if you think that NATO bombed Serbia because of Albanians then you believe in the tooth fairy as well mate LOL. They couldn’t give a s*** about Albanians.

Germany,"Not asking for recognition of Kosovo"Mr.Ambassador qualify that statement quickly by adding,not at present time.It should be clear to everyone in EU that Serbia can not and will not give Kosovo for any price.Kosovo Albanians have their State as they call it;Self rule,their economy,schools, language and news media.Kosovo Albanians do not need SOVEREIGNTY and will not get it anytime soon.Sometime these EU official forgot what is written in UN resolution 1244 which quarantee sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia.Serbia has no intention of violating that resolution by giving Kosovo to Albanians

@ cry me a river...

This is probably true...I think you're right. People will finally just give up on Kosovo.
My point is that TODAY, you're "probably" right. However, there will come a time when situations change. Remember, you are not a "friend", you are an "interest"...this goes the same for the Serbs.
My point is this...you're leaving a big question mark for your kids & grandkids instead of having the courage to come to terms with the history of Kosovo.
Why do you think the Serbs would ever let you walk away with Kosovo?

cry me a river = internet spam troll

We Americans spread cancer all over Serbia and its neighboring countries with our bombs...but we are peacemakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L6mGh-u76A

Our soldiers admit that they killed innocent civilians...but we are peacemakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEMKwY1vF_8

It's not a new trend, oh no. We did the same in Vietnam...but we are peacemakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD5VHnEM2T0

And what if we did a few war crimes in Libya? We are peacemakers. The US is a righteous country (you can all laugh now). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d3KaCNs290

Asked whether Serbia will eventually have to recognize Kosovo at the end of the negotiations, Wilhelm said that he can "only speak about the present, rather than about what will happen in the future."

No, but in the end of the negotiations, i.e. when Serbia will become an EU member state, it will be without the territory of Kosovo, that's for sure. So Serbia will have to define a status in the constitution that allows Serbia to become an EU member without Kosovo.

Albanians...
A thought to chew on....

"We have no permanent friends, We have no permenent enemies; we just have permenent interests"...A well known American diplomat said this.
He also said," if you are our friend, we will sell you. If you are our enemy, we will buy you".

Just as Yeltsin sold the Serbs, you Albanians will be sold by the Americans. No one thinks it will happen to them, and then boom....

Again, regardless of what happened, the Albanians were MUCH better off fighting and gaining COMPLETE & FULL minority rights in the country of Serbia than where they are now...maybe safe for the moment, but will always look over their shoulders, wondering if their "friends" will one day walk away, leaving them exposed. Just my HONEST opinion.

Mirel -

Take another look...not only were they offered this, but they STILL are offered it.
I'm not sayiny that to provoke...it's a fact.
regardless...the Taiwan setup HAS to work...because if it doesn't, then the only option is to go back and give everybody what's rightfully theirs...It would be literally CHAOS!
Obviously, good intentions would have to be borne from BOTH side...GOOD PEOPLE that have EVERYBODIES good intentions at heart.
I work in a workplace that has Serbs, Albanians, Croats, Hungerians and Americans working and pulling together in the same direction...It can be done!
YOU & ME MUST be the change we want to see in this world that we're going to leave for our kids!!

We have learned never to trust Serbs.
(The Count of Kosova, 22 December 2014 21:18

Likewise mr "Moderate Serb"

"Don't be too concerned about noise from German politicians! Diplomacy has its solutions."
(Bob, 22 December 2014 15:01)

Better said: Listen carefully for the wording of German politicians, and don't be concerned about stupid and deliberate (mis-)interpretations by Serbian ministers, presidents, and especially reports in Belgrade media and yellow press about 'conditions', '12 points' and whatever other nonsense they publish about the EU access.

"Because no normal country would commit mass murders and ethnic cleansing at the end of the 90's. We know that Serbia was a schizophrenic country run by clinically psychotic people whose murderous machine was never even questioned by the average Serb citizen."

Says who? The US? Oh I got news for you pal, the anti-serb propaganda days are over, at least here in the EU. Everybody knows what happened, even the Dutch made documentaries about the Milosevic trial-circus, blaming their country for being the Americans' marionette. Didn't you hear? Didn't you watch? On which planet are you, anyway? Just because you Albanians hate Serbs (and you will hate them for a long looong time, because Kosovo is theirs and you'll never have it) it doesn't mean that any of us in Europe blame Serbs. Unless you are American. In that case what can I say? Make sure your cops stop killing black people, you don't want to be accused of ethnical cleansing, do you?

"Kosova will never ever ever return to Serbia, this is well known fact for people of Kosova"

Make sure you also tell them that 75 countries worldwide have another opinion than you. And this is a well known fact by people worldwide. Good luck with your "independence"..!

"Because no normal country would commit mass murders a"

Well your beloved US has done exactly that for the last 50 years, remember Vietnam, Iraq, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Japan, Somalia etc etc etc.

They are demanding! Serbia must remove Kosovo from its constitution as a part of Serbia. That's the only way it's getting into the eu.
(Brian, 22 December 2014 14:18)

Well that would take a referendum and it will never pass trust me.

Germany is telling you that the agreements signed in Brussels will eventually require you to recognize Kosova. It is that simple there is no middle in between any where in the agreements signed.

The judiciary is very important. Do Serb lawyers and judges have to take the republic of Kosovo bar exam or does Kosovo recognize Serbia bar if Serbia recognizes republic of Kosovo bar. No one is asking or requesting. They are demanding! Serbia must remove Kosovo from its constitution as a part of Serbia. That's the only way it's getting into the eu.

Quote: Speaking about the Ukrainian crisis, he said it was important that Serbia shares the EU position that Crimea joining Russia was "contrary to international law":

Says the ambassador of a country which bombed FRY for 78 days in an aggressive war which violated international law (according to the UN and most legal scholars). The day irony didn't just die but committed suicide.

These weekly announcements by Serb and foreign officials stating whether Serbia must or must not recognize Kosovo are a tool designed to change the minds of those Serbs who somehow think they will get Kosovo back. Most people, if they're not there yet, will get to the point where they're sick and tire of Kosovo and just want to move on.

Our government has been using the same tactic in dealing with ISIS. Obama said no ground troops would go to fight ISIS. A high ranking general said that ground troops would be necessary. Obama sent troops to Iraq to 'train' the Iraqi forces. One has to wonder if those Iraqi cowardly soldiers will all of a sudden learn in a matter of a year or two what they couldn't learn in 10 yrs.

The bottom line is the Kosovo issue has been solved. We're in the final chapters. Some people can't accept the truth. They're easily being told what time it is. This is being done to protect Serbia.

Again, regardless of what happened, the Albanians were MUCH better off fighting and gaining COMPLETE & FULL minority rights in the country of Serbia than where they are now...maybe safe for the moment, but will always look over their shoulders, wondering if their "friends" will one day walk away, leaving them exposed. Just my HONEST opinion.
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 16:16)

Watcher if we have to look over our shoulder for full rights, then why do it inside Serbia where she has full power and authority, live on our knees, and at Serbia's bipolar whims, when we can watch over our shoulder outside that authority and its harder for Serbia to do anything about it. No matter how you twist it and turn it, there is no scenario where we come off better inside Serbia. History has shown this already. Where the hell have you been living?

Again, regardless of what happened, the Albanians were MUCH better off fighting and gaining COMPLETE & FULL minority rights in the country of Serbia than where they are now...maybe safe for the moment, but will always look over their shoulders, wondering if their "friends" will one day walk away, leaving them exposed. Just my HONEST opinion.
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 16:16)

Watcher if we have to look over our shoulder for full rights, then why do it inside Serbia where she has full power and authority, live on our knees, and at Serbia's bipolar whims, when we can watch over our shoulder outside that authority and its harder for Serbia to do anything about it. No matter how you twist it and turn it, there is no scenario where we come off better inside Serbia. History has shown this already. Where the hell have you been living?

They are demanding! Serbia must remove Kosovo from its constitution as a part of Serbia. That's the only way it's getting into the eu.
(Brian, 22 December 2014 14:18)

Well that would take a referendum and it will never pass trust me.
(Daniel, 22 December 2014 14:54)

Daniel,
We have learned never to trust Serbs.

...
This was offered to the Albanians in "more than autonamy, less than independence" originally...I feel they should have took it and run with it...great opportunity to show Serbia what they can do with that chance...Instead....?
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 18:15)

Serbia never have offered to Albanians the autonomy of 1989,let alone "more than autonomy less independence".
Milloshevich didn't even wanted to talk with Albanians calling them names and never agree to give their autonomy back.

If Serbia would have offered "more than autonomy les than independence" before 1999,the war would have been avoided and Kosovo would have been part of Serbia.
Secondly, China and Taiwan are the same people, Chinese, and speak the same language etc so this model can not be offered to Albanian and Serbs.
This model can be discussed between Albanians in Albania and Albanians in Kosovo.

Why keep quoting Germans on B92?

Other countries are involved in this too and also can make comments about their opinions and requirements.

Germany isn't the ruler of Europe, but it stands at risk of killing the EU project if it overplays its relative size and economic importance. Without respect for other countries, there is risk of the end of cooperation.

That said, Serbia will never actually give up on Kosovo - just (as is the case at present) accept a working arrangement.

So what this article says is pragmatically right. Don't be too concerned about noise from German politicians! Diplomacy has its solutions.

I'm not here pretending to know how to fix today's issue's, but I do FIRMLY believe everyone cannot just start taking back what they deem is their's...Not Albanians, Not Serbs, Not Russians and definantly Not Americans... (Watcher, 22 December 2014 22:08)

Watcher,
When an ethnic group attempts to ethnically cleanse another ethnic group, committing murder, rape and destruction of homes in the process, then the aggressors lose all rights including the right to live among their victims. This is why Serbia was bombed and why Serbs are not welcome in Kosova. Even a child knows this. If you are unaware of this fact then you hardly know any history of the region, as you so boastfully profess.

To Daniel. Of course removal of Kosovo would pass. B92 ipsos poll already says 63% of Serbs say Kosovo is independent. Just like Serb voters have removed dss and radicals from parliament it will remove Kosovo from constitution. I can't even imagine a way in which removal of Kosovo would fail. "Kosovo is not a job. Kosovo is not food. Kosovo is isolation forever."

I'm not here pretending to know how to fix today's issue's, but I do FIRMLY believe everyone cannot just start taking back what they deem is their's...Not Albanians, Not Serbs, Not Russians and definantly Not Americans... (Watcher, 22 December 2014 22:08)

Watcher,
When an ethnic group attempts to ethnically cleanse another ethnic group, committing murder, rape and destruction of homes in the process, then the aggressors lose all rights including the right to live among their victims. This is why Serbia was bombed and why Serbs are not welcome in Kosova. Even a child knows this. If you are unaware of this fact then you hardly know any history of the region, as you so boastfully profess.

Again, regardless of what happened, the Albanians were MUCH better off fighting and gaining COMPLETE & FULL minority rights in the country of Serbia than where they are now...maybe safe for the moment, but will always look over their shoulders, wondering if their "friends" will one day walk away, leaving them exposed. Just my HONEST opinion.
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 16:16)
Apparently you woke up out of a coma after 30 years and just started talking. The battle the Albanians were fighting for WAS to regain their minority rights that were stripped from them by Milosevic's Serbia. But as the brutality increased and Milosevic decided not only were Albanians not going to have any rights they were not going to have the right to live in Kosovo period. Your opinion is that of a brainwashed ultranationalist, not that of someone who has grown up in a society where ethniticity is irrelevant. It is obvious your parents teachings were the "good" of Serbian history and the "bad" of Albanian history. That is not a true example of being taught the good and bad history.
You are right that it would have been better for Kosovo and Serbia both if there had been a way for the reunification of the two with protection and rights for the Kosovo Albanians as equal members of a new society. But YOUR people would have none of that, the only option was with the Albanians as a subservient outcast of Serbian society. It was not possible in 2000 nor any more possible today.

I have studied balkan history from every side...I could tell you more wonderful Albanian history than you would ever know...also the dark periods.
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 22:08)

Watcher,
I highly doubt you know any true Albanian or Serb history. One thing I am certain of though, you are a Serb. I say that because you do have the unpleasant trait of believing you know more than other people, without having any knowledge about them.

"...because of Albanians"

and who has ever believed this? NATO did bomb the living crap out of the heavenly people though, so much so that it forced them to vacate heavenly Kosmet. hell, even your brat Russia didn't do anything to stop it. they apparently care so much for you now, that 15 years after the bombing, they abandon South Stream in favour of doing business with your other fictional rival, the Turks. one has to wonder what is in the heavenly psyche that seems to require bombing every now and again

This was offered to the Albanians in "more than autonamy, less than independence" originally...I feel they should have took it and run with it...great opportunity to show Serbia what they can do with that chance...Instead....?
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 18:15)

Watcher,
Kosova doesn't have to convince or show Serbia anything. It is the Serbs that must prove to the Albanians and the EU that they want peace and the only way they can accomplish this is by Recognition. That will then allow Serbia to attempt to show they can meet the criteria for admission to the EU. Remember, when a host has a party, it is his prerogative who to invite, otherwise any of the riff raff may show up.

This was offered to the Albanians in "more than autonamy, less than independence" originally...I feel they should have took it and run with it...great opportunity to show Serbia what they can do with that chance...Instead....?
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 18:15)
If you were in the know, you would know that the "more than autonomy, less than independence(which no one has been able to answer what it means) was never ever a legitimate offer on the table from Serbia. It was a phrase that was coined by Jeremic and co. days before the UDI as a last ditch effort to delay international recognition. It only became well known AFTER February 17, 2008. The closest thing I can think of more than autonomy less than independence would be a confederation between Kosovo and Serbia where there is real power sharing. But Serbia flatly rejected that idea completely and refused to discuss it.
If you read Rambouillet the goals from the international community was actually a system where Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo all existed with equal powers as part of what was left of Yugoslavia. Serbia was set against Kosovo being anything but a totally controlled province. Once Montenegro declared independence the whole concept was destroyed.
How can you possibly say that the Albanians would today be better off under Serbia when you yourself who claims to have lived always in America considers the Albanians mere tenants on Serbian land and not an equal partner?

My point with Kosovo is that it HAS set a precedent for other countries to "gobble" up lands that they feel was rightfully theirs from the begining of time...
(Watcher, 23 December 2014 17:44)

Well, that thing of "gobbling" up lands has happened long before Kosovo even existed, so there is not much of a precedent that Kosovo has set there. Serbs too "gobbled" up lands when they moved to the Balkans as did Albanians and many others. So your point is?!

You probably never even read the Rambouillet "proposal". They proposed something that they knew Serbia would never agree to, 30 000 NATO personal to have access to all of Serbia, referendum within 3 years under NATO control which would obviously lead to independence. Can you think of ANY country that would accept such a "proposal" ?
(Daniel, 24 December 2014 14:09)

Because no normal country would commit mass murders and ethinc cleansing at the end of the 90's. We know that Serbia was a schizophrenic country run by clinically psychotic people whose murderous machine was never even questioned by the average Serb citizen. We know this because you yourself and the many Serbs here support the same psychotic policies that lead to the deaths of those babies buried underneath apartment buildings inside Serbia. As such Serbia was not to be treated like any normal country but for what it actually was. A murderous criminal country. Remember when all of you stood behind Arkan?Remember when he threatened the US and NATO on live TV? Thats what you get when you support baby killers. You are treated as a pariah because you were a society that had gone bat$h!t crazy. The fact that you still haven't learned that lesson shows that you are bound to repeat it. So complain all you want. Its all your fault for supporting war.

Kosova will never ever ever return to Serbia, this is well known fact for people of Kosova .There are so many Kosovo albanians who were forced to immigrate due to difficult circumstances and there number ranges to 8 million(+Albania) and this number is way to small to fit them all in Albania ,thats why Kosova will never return to Serbia. Serbia with its 12 million heads can easily fit in today's Serbian territory.

Daniel, posting is nice and voting is nicer, especially in articles posted later than this one

Elena,Greece I need to correct you for your own good.....

Kosova is now recognized by 110 countries of the world.....this a fact and not simply my opinion.

The makes the majority of the world on our the...the side of freedom and democracy.... And also something about democracy Greece might know about .

The remaining undecided countries never said outright NO to our recognition just need more time to convince them to do what' s right.

In due time we will get everyone on board to the side of righteousness even bankrupt greece and cyprus .

Good Luck with your finances,bail out and trying to remain a EU member .

Again, regardless of what happened, the Albanians were MUCH better off fighting and gaining COMPLETE & FULL minority rights in the country of Serbia than where they are now...maybe safe for the moment, but will always look over their shoulders, wondering if their "friends" will one day walk away, leaving them exposed. Just my HONEST opinion.
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 16:16)

Watcher if we have to look over our shoulder for full rights, then why do it inside Serbia where she has full power and authority, live on our knees, and at Serbia's bipolar whims, when we can watch over our shoulder outside that authority and its harder for Serbia to do anything about it. No matter how you twist it and turn it, there is no scenario where we come off better inside Serbia. History has shown this already. Where the hell have you been living?

Again, regardless of what happened, the Albanians were MUCH better off fighting and gaining COMPLETE & FULL minority rights in the country of Serbia than where they are now...maybe safe for the moment, but will always look over their shoulders, wondering if their "friends" will one day walk away, leaving them exposed. Just my HONEST opinion.
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 16:16)

Watcher if we have to look over our shoulder for full rights, then why do it inside Serbia where she has full power and authority, live on our knees, and at Serbia's bipolar whims, when we can watch over our shoulder outside that authority and its harder for Serbia to do anything about it. No matter how you twist it and turn it, there is no scenario where we come off better inside Serbia. History has shown this already. Where the hell have you been living?

They are demanding! Serbia must remove Kosovo from its constitution as a part of Serbia. That's the only way it's getting into the eu.
(Brian, 22 December 2014 14:18)

Well that would take a referendum and it will never pass trust me.
(Daniel, 22 December 2014 14:54)

Daniel,
We have learned never to trust Serbs.

...
This was offered to the Albanians in "more than autonamy, less than independence" originally...I feel they should have took it and run with it...great opportunity to show Serbia what they can do with that chance...Instead....?
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 18:15)

Serbia never have offered to Albanians the autonomy of 1989,let alone "more than autonomy less independence".
Milloshevich didn't even wanted to talk with Albanians calling them names and never agree to give their autonomy back.

If Serbia would have offered "more than autonomy les than independence" before 1999,the war would have been avoided and Kosovo would have been part of Serbia.
Secondly, China and Taiwan are the same people, Chinese, and speak the same language etc so this model can not be offered to Albanian and Serbs.
This model can be discussed between Albanians in Albania and Albanians in Kosovo.

Germany is telling you that the agreements signed in Brussels will eventually require you to recognize Kosova. It is that simple there is no middle in between any where in the agreements signed.

This was offered to the Albanians in "more than autonamy, less than independence" originally...I feel they should have took it and run with it...great opportunity to show Serbia what they can do with that chance...Instead....?
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 18:15)
If you were in the know, you would know that the "more than autonomy, less than independence(which no one has been able to answer what it means) was never ever a legitimate offer on the table from Serbia. It was a phrase that was coined by Jeremic and co. days before the UDI as a last ditch effort to delay international recognition. It only became well known AFTER February 17, 2008. The closest thing I can think of more than autonomy less than independence would be a confederation between Kosovo and Serbia where there is real power sharing. But Serbia flatly rejected that idea completely and refused to discuss it.
If you read Rambouillet the goals from the international community was actually a system where Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo all existed with equal powers as part of what was left of Yugoslavia. Serbia was set against Kosovo being anything but a totally controlled province. Once Montenegro declared independence the whole concept was destroyed.
How can you possibly say that the Albanians would today be better off under Serbia when you yourself who claims to have lived always in America considers the Albanians mere tenants on Serbian land and not an equal partner?

"...because of Albanians"

and who has ever believed this? NATO did bomb the living crap out of the heavenly people though, so much so that it forced them to vacate heavenly Kosmet. hell, even your brat Russia didn't do anything to stop it. they apparently care so much for you now, that 15 years after the bombing, they abandon South Stream in favour of doing business with your other fictional rival, the Turks. one has to wonder what is in the heavenly psyche that seems to require bombing every now and again

To Daniel. Of course removal of Kosovo would pass. B92 ipsos poll already says 63% of Serbs say Kosovo is independent. Just like Serb voters have removed dss and radicals from parliament it will remove Kosovo from constitution. I can't even imagine a way in which removal of Kosovo would fail. "Kosovo is not a job. Kosovo is not food. Kosovo is isolation forever."

I'm not here pretending to know how to fix today's issue's, but I do FIRMLY believe everyone cannot just start taking back what they deem is their's...Not Albanians, Not Serbs, Not Russians and definantly Not Americans... (Watcher, 22 December 2014 22:08)

Watcher,
When an ethnic group attempts to ethnically cleanse another ethnic group, committing murder, rape and destruction of homes in the process, then the aggressors lose all rights including the right to live among their victims. This is why Serbia was bombed and why Serbs are not welcome in Kosova. Even a child knows this. If you are unaware of this fact then you hardly know any history of the region, as you so boastfully profess.

I'm not here pretending to know how to fix today's issue's, but I do FIRMLY believe everyone cannot just start taking back what they deem is their's...Not Albanians, Not Serbs, Not Russians and definantly Not Americans... (Watcher, 22 December 2014 22:08)

Watcher,
When an ethnic group attempts to ethnically cleanse another ethnic group, committing murder, rape and destruction of homes in the process, then the aggressors lose all rights including the right to live among their victims. This is why Serbia was bombed and why Serbs are not welcome in Kosova. Even a child knows this. If you are unaware of this fact then you hardly know any history of the region, as you so boastfully profess.

You probably never even read the Rambouillet "proposal". They proposed something that they knew Serbia would never agree to, 30 000 NATO personal to have access to all of Serbia, referendum within 3 years under NATO control which would obviously lead to independence. Can you think of ANY country that would accept such a "proposal" ?
(Daniel, 24 December 2014 14:09)

Because no normal country would commit mass murders and ethinc cleansing at the end of the 90's. We know that Serbia was a schizophrenic country run by clinically psychotic people whose murderous machine was never even questioned by the average Serb citizen. We know this because you yourself and the many Serbs here support the same psychotic policies that lead to the deaths of those babies buried underneath apartment buildings inside Serbia. As such Serbia was not to be treated like any normal country but for what it actually was. A murderous criminal country. Remember when all of you stood behind Arkan?Remember when he threatened the US and NATO on live TV? Thats what you get when you support baby killers. You are treated as a pariah because you were a society that had gone bat$h!t crazy. The fact that you still haven't learned that lesson shows that you are bound to repeat it. So complain all you want. Its all your fault for supporting war.

These weekly announcements by Serb and foreign officials stating whether Serbia must or must not recognize Kosovo are a tool designed to change the minds of those Serbs who somehow think they will get Kosovo back. Most people, if they're not there yet, will get to the point where they're sick and tire of Kosovo and just want to move on.

Our government has been using the same tactic in dealing with ISIS. Obama said no ground troops would go to fight ISIS. A high ranking general said that ground troops would be necessary. Obama sent troops to Iraq to 'train' the Iraqi forces. One has to wonder if those Iraqi cowardly soldiers will all of a sudden learn in a matter of a year or two what they couldn't learn in 10 yrs.

The bottom line is the Kosovo issue has been solved. We're in the final chapters. Some people can't accept the truth. They're easily being told what time it is. This is being done to protect Serbia.

I have studied balkan history from every side...I could tell you more wonderful Albanian history than you would ever know...also the dark periods.
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 22:08)

Watcher,
I highly doubt you know any true Albanian or Serb history. One thing I am certain of though, you are a Serb. I say that because you do have the unpleasant trait of believing you know more than other people, without having any knowledge about them.

Again, regardless of what happened, the Albanians were MUCH better off fighting and gaining COMPLETE & FULL minority rights in the country of Serbia than where they are now...maybe safe for the moment, but will always look over their shoulders, wondering if their "friends" will one day walk away, leaving them exposed. Just my HONEST opinion.
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 16:16)
Apparently you woke up out of a coma after 30 years and just started talking. The battle the Albanians were fighting for WAS to regain their minority rights that were stripped from them by Milosevic's Serbia. But as the brutality increased and Milosevic decided not only were Albanians not going to have any rights they were not going to have the right to live in Kosovo period. Your opinion is that of a brainwashed ultranationalist, not that of someone who has grown up in a society where ethniticity is irrelevant. It is obvious your parents teachings were the "good" of Serbian history and the "bad" of Albanian history. That is not a true example of being taught the good and bad history.
You are right that it would have been better for Kosovo and Serbia both if there had been a way for the reunification of the two with protection and rights for the Kosovo Albanians as equal members of a new society. But YOUR people would have none of that, the only option was with the Albanians as a subservient outcast of Serbian society. It was not possible in 2000 nor any more possible today.

Kosova will never ever ever return to Serbia, this is well known fact for people of Kosova .There are so many Kosovo albanians who were forced to immigrate due to difficult circumstances and there number ranges to 8 million(+Albania) and this number is way to small to fit them all in Albania ,thats why Kosova will never return to Serbia. Serbia with its 12 million heads can easily fit in today's Serbian territory.

This was offered to the Albanians in "more than autonamy, less than independence" originally...I feel they should have took it and run with it...great opportunity to show Serbia what they can do with that chance...Instead....?
(Watcher, 22 December 2014 18:15)

Watcher,
Kosova doesn't have to convince or show Serbia anything. It is the Serbs that must prove to the Albanians and the EU that they want peace and the only way they can accomplish this is by Recognition. That will then allow Serbia to attempt to show they can meet the criteria for admission to the EU. Remember, when a host has a party, it is his prerogative who to invite, otherwise any of the riff raff may show up.

The judiciary is very important. Do Serb lawyers and judges have to take the republic of Kosovo bar exam or does Kosovo recognize Serbia bar if Serbia recognizes republic of Kosovo bar. No one is asking or requesting. They are demanding! Serbia must remove Kosovo from its constitution as a part of Serbia. That's the only way it's getting into the eu.

My point with Kosovo is that it HAS set a precedent for other countries to "gobble" up lands that they feel was rightfully theirs from the begining of time...
(Watcher, 23 December 2014 17:44)

Well, that thing of "gobbling" up lands has happened long before Kosovo even existed, so there is not much of a precedent that Kosovo has set there. Serbs too "gobbled" up lands when they moved to the Balkans as did Albanians and many others. So your point is?!

Why keep quoting Germans on B92?

Other countries are involved in this too and also can make comments about their opinions and requirements.

Germany isn't the ruler of Europe, but it stands at risk of killing the EU project if it overplays its relative size and economic importance. Without respect for other countries, there is risk of the end of cooperation.

That said, Serbia will never actually give up on Kosovo - just (as is the case at present) accept a working arrangement.

So what this article says is pragmatically right. Don't be too concerned about noise from German politicians! Diplomacy has its solutions.

They are demanding! Serbia must remove Kosovo from its constitution as a part of Serbia. That's the only way it's getting into the eu.
(Brian, 22 December 2014 14:18)

Well that would take a referendum and it will never pass trust me.

Albanians...
A thought to chew on....

"We have no permanent friends, We have no permenent enemies; we just have permenent interests"...A well known American diplomat said this.
He also said," if you are our friend, we will sell you. If you are our enemy, we will buy you".

Just as Yeltsin sold the Serbs, you Albanians will be sold by the Americans. No one thinks it will happen to them, and then boom....

Again, regardless of what happened, the Albanians were MUCH better off fighting and gaining COMPLETE & FULL minority rights in the country of Serbia than where they are now...maybe safe for the moment, but will always look over their shoulders, wondering if their "friends" will one day walk away, leaving them exposed. Just my HONEST opinion.

cry me a river = internet spam troll

Let's look at Taiwan...
Booming economically, Great lifestyle, Democratic Political system...
Yet, when all is said and done, the deed to the LAND is in China's hand.
Great setup....as long as China lets them prosper, invest with the West, vote and live happily, all is peaceful and quiet. Pretty fair, I think, as long as China doesn't become abusive.
This was offered to the Albanians in "more than autonamy, less than independence" originally...I feel they should have took it and run with it...great opportunity to show Serbia what they can do with that chance...Instead....?

Asked whether Serbia will eventually have to recognize Kosovo at the end of the negotiations, Wilhelm said that he can "only speak about the present, rather than about what will happen in the future."

No, but in the end of the negotiations, i.e. when Serbia will become an EU member state, it will be without the territory of Kosovo, that's for sure. So Serbia will have to define a status in the constitution that allows Serbia to become an EU member without Kosovo.

We Americans spread cancer all over Serbia and its neighboring countries with our bombs...but we are peacemakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L6mGh-u76A

Our soldiers admit that they killed innocent civilians...but we are peacemakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEMKwY1vF_8

It's not a new trend, oh no. We did the same in Vietnam...but we are peacemakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD5VHnEM2T0

And what if we did a few war crimes in Libya? We are peacemakers. The US is a righteous country (you can all laugh now). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d3KaCNs290

(The Count of Kosova, 22 December 2014 23:49)
Then why did your Albos kick out everyone else? Croats, Turks etc. Why even Albanian Roma prefer to live next to Serbs settlements in Kosovo rather than near their fellow Albanians. This fact blows a huge hole in your propaganda of “ethnic cleansing, murder, rape and destruction of homes”.
Albanians are like Croats they hate everyone that is not one of their kind and if you think that NATO bombed Serbia because of Albanians then you believe in the tooth fairy as well mate LOL. They couldn’t give a s*** about Albanians.

"Don't be too concerned about noise from German politicians! Diplomacy has its solutions."
(Bob, 22 December 2014 15:01)

Better said: Listen carefully for the wording of German politicians, and don't be concerned about stupid and deliberate (mis-)interpretations by Serbian ministers, presidents, and especially reports in Belgrade media and yellow press about 'conditions', '12 points' and whatever other nonsense they publish about the EU access.

"The battle the Albanians were fighting for WAS to regain their minority rights that were stripped from them by Milosevic's Serbia. "

Really? And what kind of battle did they fight back in 1981 wanting more autonomity then they already had, schools in their own language, media in their own language and everything else was not enough and that was loooong before the Milosevic era.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_protests_in_Kosovo

@ cry me a river...

This is probably true...I think you're right. People will finally just give up on Kosovo.
My point is that TODAY, you're "probably" right. However, there will come a time when situations change. Remember, you are not a "friend", you are an "interest"...this goes the same for the Serbs.
My point is this...you're leaving a big question mark for your kids & grandkids instead of having the courage to come to terms with the history of Kosovo.
Why do you think the Serbs would ever let you walk away with Kosovo?

We have learned never to trust Serbs.
(The Count of Kosova, 22 December 2014 21:18

Likewise mr "Moderate Serb"

@ J,

I was born & live in the US, I have a Serb father & mother that have taught me that every side has it's bad & good history. They have taught & I have studied balkan history from every side...I could tell you more wonderful Albanian history than you would ever know...also the dark periods. This goes for Serb history too.
I'm not here pretending to know how to fix today's issue's, but I do FIRMLY believe everyone cannot just start taking back what they deem is their's...Not Albanians, Not Serbs, Not Russians and definantly Not Americans...
'We expect our leaders to be better than we are. And they better be...or else why are we following them"?

The Rambouillet text, which called on Serbia to admit NATO troops throughout Yugoslavia, was a provocation, an excuse to start bombing. Rambouillet is not a document that an angelic Serb could have accepted. It was a terrible diplomatic document that should never have been presented in that form.[4]
—Henry Kissinger, Daily Telegraph, 28 June 1999

"Because no normal country would commit mass murders and ethnic cleansing at the end of the 90's. We know that Serbia was a schizophrenic country run by clinically psychotic people whose murderous machine was never even questioned by the average Serb citizen."

Says who? The US? Oh I got news for you pal, the anti-serb propaganda days are over, at least here in the EU. Everybody knows what happened, even the Dutch made documentaries about the Milosevic trial-circus, blaming their country for being the Americans' marionette. Didn't you hear? Didn't you watch? On which planet are you, anyway? Just because you Albanians hate Serbs (and you will hate them for a long looong time, because Kosovo is theirs and you'll never have it) it doesn't mean that any of us in Europe blame Serbs. Unless you are American. In that case what can I say? Make sure your cops stop killing black people, you don't want to be accused of ethnical cleansing, do you?

"Kosova will never ever ever return to Serbia, this is well known fact for people of Kosova"

Make sure you also tell them that 75 countries worldwide have another opinion than you. And this is a well known fact by people worldwide. Good luck with your "independence"..!

Mirel -

Take another look...not only were they offered this, but they STILL are offered it.
I'm not sayiny that to provoke...it's a fact.
regardless...the Taiwan setup HAS to work...because if it doesn't, then the only option is to go back and give everybody what's rightfully theirs...It would be literally CHAOS!
Obviously, good intentions would have to be borne from BOTH side...GOOD PEOPLE that have EVERYBODIES good intentions at heart.
I work in a workplace that has Serbs, Albanians, Croats, Hungerians and Americans working and pulling together in the same direction...It can be done!
YOU & ME MUST be the change we want to see in this world that we're going to leave for our kids!!

Quote: Speaking about the Ukrainian crisis, he said it was important that Serbia shares the EU position that Crimea joining Russia was "contrary to international law":

Says the ambassador of a country which bombed FRY for 78 days in an aggressive war which violated international law (according to the UN and most legal scholars). The day irony didn't just die but committed suicide.

Just a thought, Count of Kosova & a new day,

Stop already with the bitterness. If I started to write about the wrongs the Albanians have done, you would have nothing to say from embaressment.
AGAIN...BOTH Serb & Albanian people have MUCH to answer on judgement day...got it finally? A brainwashed ultranatioalist is one thing I am NOT! I could reply like sj did, but i'm not interested in tit for tat crap, I want solutions that WORK.
Yes, I am a Serb, but a very informed Serb.I am very thankful my father & mother raised me in the manner of charactor, not color or ethnicity. I am very proud to be Serb just like you should be proud to be Albanian! I have very dear Albanian friends that are also very well informed...all of us very well aware that the common folk is manipulated by people with agendas....
I also have Serbs people I know that I have to temper down with a dose of dark Serb history that usually shuts them up...
My point with Kosovo is that it HAS set a precedent for other countries to "gobble" up lands that they feel was rightfully theirs from the begining of time...This is not something i'm just saying, this is HAPPENING...Albanians could say' I don't care what happens anywhere else, as long as we get our Kosovo back"...but that doesn't solve anything. NO government is innocent of abuse, one way or another, against its own citizens. Just look whats happening here in the US with racism.
"All progress takes place outside the comfort zone"!

If you read Rambouillet the goals from the international community was actually a system where Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo all existed with equal powers as part of what was left of Yugoslavia. "

You probably never even read the Rambouillet "proposal". They proposed something that they knew Serbia would never agree to, 30 000 NATO personal to have access to all of Serbia, referendum within 3 years under NATO control which would obviously lead to independence. Can you think of ANY country that would accept such a "proposal" ?

Germany,"Not asking for recognition of Kosovo"Mr.Ambassador qualify that statement quickly by adding,not at present time.It should be clear to everyone in EU that Serbia can not and will not give Kosovo for any price.Kosovo Albanians have their State as they call it;Self rule,their economy,schools, language and news media.Kosovo Albanians do not need SOVEREIGNTY and will not get it anytime soon.Sometime these EU official forgot what is written in UN resolution 1244 which quarantee sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia.Serbia has no intention of violating that resolution by giving Kosovo to Albanians

"Because no normal country would commit mass murders a"

Well your beloved US has done exactly that for the last 50 years, remember Vietnam, Iraq, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Japan, Somalia etc etc etc.

Daniel, posting is nice and voting is nicer, especially in articles posted later than this one

Elena,Greece I need to correct you for your own good.....

Kosova is now recognized by 110 countries of the world.....this a fact and not simply my opinion.

The makes the majority of the world on our the...the side of freedom and democracy.... And also something about democracy Greece might know about .

The remaining undecided countries never said outright NO to our recognition just need more time to convince them to do what' s right.

In due time we will get everyone on board to the side of righteousness even bankrupt greece and cyprus .

Good Luck with your finances,bail out and trying to remain a EU member .