Kosovo Strategy meets scornful response

It really seems to me that representatives of the Kosovo Serb community are willing to work with the Albanians in forging a new government. This is actually a very welcome sign, and the international community should be all over this, helping to support men like Oliver Ivanovic. If such representatives are given greater voices at the status talks NOW, the threat of a mass exodus of Serbs from the region will not happen. It really seems to me that the biggest concerns for Kosovo Serbs are security and cultural autonomy. If these can be guaranteed by the Albanian government, supported by the Kosovo Serb community, and enforced by the international community, a multiethnic Kosovo could actually happen. I certainly hope this is more than wishful thinking on my part.

I don't think officials in Serbia are living in a fantasy world. I think they know pretty well that in these negotiations their position is pretty weak. I do not think the region has forgotten the numerous wars the Serbian government started in the name of the Serb people. But somehow, as it is always the case, somebody needs to get the blame for losing Kosova. And since Milosevic is dead, the present Serbian government is too worried it will have to hold the burden of fault itself. What is pathetic in all of this is that the Serbian government is not actually thinking for the good of the Serbs in Kosova. Can't they see that if Kosova is granted autonomy, not independence, then the Serbs in Kosova will really be in danger?!

If I am not mistaken, the "Serbian Platform" mirrors the UN resolution 1244 which was signed by all parties which included the borders of Kosovo being patrolled by Serbian police as well as Kosovo's Serbian Orthodox Cultural sites as well as preserving the territorial integrity of Kosovo which is now precedent to the Serbia.

To insinuate that UN 1244 is invalid due to the former Yugoslavia does not exist anymore is insidious. It was easy to declare independance to Croatia, Bosnia , FYROM , Slovenia with absolutely no referendum and the complete ignorance of international law .

Time has passed, but the integrity of the UN has been compromised which is exactly what happened to the League of Nations after WWI which allowed Hitler to march into Austria, Czechoslavia.

The example of the break up of Chechoslavokia in 1938 is a perfect example where France and England broke there agreements to protect the territorial integrity of Czechoslavia leaving the Prime Minister Benes at the mercy of the Nazi's. Czechoslavia was carved up by Germany, Hungary while the league of nations and the western countries hid in there shells.

Power dictates international law in the 21th century. Russia recognized it and this is clearly evident with ever so cooling relations with the United States . The rising price of oil has allowed Russia to flourish and tip the balance of power currently enjoyed by the United States. It's high time the US pursue a policy of peace and co-existance of all nations respecting international laws' and precedents which have survived since the end of WWII . This included honoring international agreements such as UN Resolution 1244 signed in good faith by all parties.

How nations fail to learn from past history.

Konstantin Gregovic
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

Sorry, But Bosnia did hold a referendum for independence and was declared an independent state under international law. As the flag of an independent country flew outside UN, Milosevic-backed Serbs hijacked the country, against the will of the majority of its citizens. Thats fact. Kosovo is lost to Serbia. Since the good friday agreement in Northern Ireland an international precedent has been established that must respect the will of the majority of the population of a given entity. I agree that Serbia's fantasy politics on this issue endangers Serbs in Kosovo. The international community should leave it to Kosovo Serbs themselves to negotiate their future. In direct daily contact with the Serbian government at the negotiating government they will see that this government, just like Milosevic, doesnt care about them at all and the only way forward is to seek a new way with their Albanian neighbours.

(Eneid, 13 June 2006, 18:06)
"Can't they see that if Kosova is granted autonomy, not independence, then the Serbs in Kosova will really be in danger?!"
That is precisely the problem! In any democratic country , no ethnic population should have a problem whether they are granted autonomy or not.
(Eneid, 13 June 2006, 18:06)

Sorry, But Bosnia did hold a referendum for independence and was declared an independent state under international law. (dylan (ireland), 12 July 2006, 16:59)

There was no official referendum held in the republic of Bosnia Herzegovina. Karadzic boycotted the Bosnian Republic parliament and most Serbs and Croats did not participate in the referendum. So, the referendum held my Izetbegovic muslim supporters could hardly be used as a mandate for independence particulary since they constituted less than 43% of the poplulation at that time.

The war in Bosnia-Herzegovina started when the JNA barracks were invaded and officers shot by Bosnian Muslims.

It really seems to me that representatives of the Kosovo Serb community are willing to work with the Albanians in forging a new government. This is actually a very welcome sign, and the international community should be all over this, helping to support men like Oliver Ivanovic. If such representatives are given greater voices at the status talks NOW, the threat of a mass exodus of Serbs from the region will not happen. It really seems to me that the biggest concerns for Kosovo Serbs are security and cultural autonomy. If these can be guaranteed by the Albanian government, supported by the Kosovo Serb community, and enforced by the international community, a multiethnic Kosovo could actually happen. I certainly hope this is more than wishful thinking on my part.

I don't think officials in Serbia are living in a fantasy world. I think they know pretty well that in these negotiations their position is pretty weak. I do not think the region has forgotten the numerous wars the Serbian government started in the name of the Serb people. But somehow, as it is always the case, somebody needs to get the blame for losing Kosova. And since Milosevic is dead, the present Serbian government is too worried it will have to hold the burden of fault itself. What is pathetic in all of this is that the Serbian government is not actually thinking for the good of the Serbs in Kosova. Can't they see that if Kosova is granted autonomy, not independence, then the Serbs in Kosova will really be in danger?!

If I am not mistaken, the "Serbian Platform" mirrors the UN resolution 1244 which was signed by all parties which included the borders of Kosovo being patrolled by Serbian police as well as Kosovo's Serbian Orthodox Cultural sites as well as preserving the territorial integrity of Kosovo which is now precedent to the Serbia.

To insinuate that UN 1244 is invalid due to the former Yugoslavia does not exist anymore is insidious. It was easy to declare independance to Croatia, Bosnia , FYROM , Slovenia with absolutely no referendum and the complete ignorance of international law .

Time has passed, but the integrity of the UN has been compromised which is exactly what happened to the League of Nations after WWI which allowed Hitler to march into Austria, Czechoslavia.

The example of the break up of Chechoslavokia in 1938 is a perfect example where France and England broke there agreements to protect the territorial integrity of Czechoslavia leaving the Prime Minister Benes at the mercy of the Nazi's. Czechoslavia was carved up by Germany, Hungary while the league of nations and the western countries hid in there shells.

Power dictates international law in the 21th century. Russia recognized it and this is clearly evident with ever so cooling relations with the United States . The rising price of oil has allowed Russia to flourish and tip the balance of power currently enjoyed by the United States. It's high time the US pursue a policy of peace and co-existance of all nations respecting international laws' and precedents which have survived since the end of WWII . This included honoring international agreements such as UN Resolution 1244 signed in good faith by all parties.

How nations fail to learn from past history.

Konstantin Gregovic
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

Sorry, But Bosnia did hold a referendum for independence and was declared an independent state under international law. As the flag of an independent country flew outside UN, Milosevic-backed Serbs hijacked the country, against the will of the majority of its citizens. Thats fact. Kosovo is lost to Serbia. Since the good friday agreement in Northern Ireland an international precedent has been established that must respect the will of the majority of the population of a given entity. I agree that Serbia's fantasy politics on this issue endangers Serbs in Kosovo. The international community should leave it to Kosovo Serbs themselves to negotiate their future. In direct daily contact with the Serbian government at the negotiating government they will see that this government, just like Milosevic, doesnt care about them at all and the only way forward is to seek a new way with their Albanian neighbours.

(Eneid, 13 June 2006, 18:06)
"Can't they see that if Kosova is granted autonomy, not independence, then the Serbs in Kosova will really be in danger?!"
That is precisely the problem! In any democratic country , no ethnic population should have a problem whether they are granted autonomy or not.
(Eneid, 13 June 2006, 18:06)

Sorry, But Bosnia did hold a referendum for independence and was declared an independent state under international law. (dylan (ireland), 12 July 2006, 16:59)

There was no official referendum held in the republic of Bosnia Herzegovina. Karadzic boycotted the Bosnian Republic parliament and most Serbs and Croats did not participate in the referendum. So, the referendum held my Izetbegovic muslim supporters could hardly be used as a mandate for independence particulary since they constituted less than 43% of the poplulation at that time.

The war in Bosnia-Herzegovina started when the JNA barracks were invaded and officers shot by Bosnian Muslims.