"Two can play separatism-sponsoring game"

A U.S. foreign policy expert says the crisis in Georgia is also undermining chances of a Kosovo compromise. Washington-based Cato Institute Defense and Foreign Policy Studies Vice President Ted Galen Carpenter said in a statement for Tanjug news agency on Tuesday that U.S.-Russian relations will be considerably aggravated because of the developments in South Ossetia, and that the prospects for finding a compromise solution for Kosovo are now even slimmer. "Two can play separatism-sponsoring game" "Moscow has now shown Washington that two can play the game of sponsoring ethnic secessionist movements and backing up that policy with military force. And the U.S. and NATO can do very little about it," Carpenter said. "The developments in Georgia make it even less likely that there will be subtle diplomacy and a serious effort to reach a compromise solution regarding Kosovo," he said. "Instead, Kosovo will exist in a political and diplomatic limbo. Its independence will ultimately be recognized by perhaps half of the countries in the world, but the other half will not do so, and Russia will block Kosovo's membership in international organizations wherever it can," Carpenter continued. "In the months leading up to the decision by the U.S. and leading European Union powers to grant Kosovo independence, Moscow warned that the Kosovo precedent could be applied to numerous situations around the world, and Russian officials specifically cited South Ossetia and Abkhazia," he pointed out. "Western officials absurdly argued that the Kosovo situation was unique and would set no precedent. They have now found out differently," Carpenter told Tanjug.

"Two can play separatism-sponsoring game"

"Moscow has now shown Washington that two can play the game of sponsoring ethnic secessionist movements and backing up that policy with military force. And the U.S. and NATO can do very little about it," Carpenter said.

"The developments in Georgia make it even less likely that there will be subtle diplomacy and a serious effort to reach a compromise solution regarding Kosovo," he said.

"Instead, Kosovo will exist in a political and diplomatic limbo. Its independence will ultimately be recognized by perhaps half of the countries in the world, but the other half will not do so, and Russia will block Kosovo's membership in international organizations wherever it can," Carpenter continued.

"In the months leading up to the decision by the U.S. and leading European Union powers to grant Kosovo independence, Moscow warned that the Kosovo precedent could be applied to numerous situations around the world, and Russian officials specifically cited South Ossetia and Abkhazia," he pointed out.

"Western officials absurdly argued that the Kosovo situation was unique and would set no precedent. They have now found out differently," Carpenter told Tanjug.