Koštunica: Act of injustice and violence

It is clear that Serbia is in a clear and principled position. The Russians have asked that if the US wished to set a precedent then they must realise that it is equally applicable to every other nation seeing as they wish to do this in the UN!

So will bush be true to his words and call for a vote in the UN??? Lets wait and see this week!!! I think we will find that Bush is really just looking for a way to wash his hands from the whole issue - "we tried our intention was but those pesky Russians denied it...."

I hope no-one suggests it will happen next month instead - please think it through do you really see this being China's (as UN SC Presidency for July)priority by adding such folly to the agenda in July?????

The news is thus the folly of dismembering a UN recognised state has ended - this week will see the end once and for all! 1244 needs to now be implemented fully in order that the International community do not erode further credibility.

But what then for the Serbian province of Kosovo & Metohija and all the Serbian citzens???

All need to move on and start looking at the best way forward so that trust and reconcilation can begin - this should have been the focus from day 1 when the UNMIK administration went in but little thought was given post conflict - surely an even greater lesson needs not be imposed upon the region! The lesson is that the US is not the same super-power who uphold and protect rights in the world and the reality is that the environment is now a muli-polar world.

I implore the Serbian citzens of ethnic-Albanian heritage in the Serbian province of Kosovo & Metohija that we must all learn to put the past behind and stop with hate against each other - such diversions do little to help in the economic progression that the region desperatly requires. Are we not all Europeans? The EU ethos is not about creating thousands of multi-ethnic entities with new borders and illuminating what seperates but quite the opposite about unity!!!

Regarding the Serbian Province of Kosovo & Metohija it is evident that there never could deliverance of the promise that was false. No matter how much you hate the other people, we are all just passing through on this planet. We would all do a lot better and live happier lives if we could put away our hate and try to understand the other side. We all want the same thing-- to live freely, without fear and conflict. Each of us should start respecting the other side as human beings. Peace starts with each one of us. The reality is that we must learn to live amongst each other in a new found trust and reconciliation - Serbia's integrity being upheld is not negative but can be positive for all it's citzens - no matter what their ethnic heritage is. Lets work together for the win-win that all the peoples of Serbia deserve.

Are you people sure Bush didn't think he was in Alabama, instead of Albania? I really don't think he knows where the Balkans are. I mean it. I have lived with this man since 2000, and believe me, he hasn't got a clue.

The Government of Serbia can declare unliateral recodnition void but that will have no effect whatosever on the ground. Short of invading (which would be suicidal) there is nothing you can do.

Nick - And without Serbia and Russia's blessing there is nothing that Kosovo can do legally on the international scene either. With UNMIK's tenure coming to an end relatively soon and requiring an extension for UNMIK troops to stay, what do you think will happen if Russia refuses that extension? Probably, the USA and EU will unilaterally recognise Kosovo, send their troops in and prevent Serbia from regaining it's territory. This might sound like good news for the Albanian population but how will you create a better standard of living when legally you don't own any of the land (it would still legally remain a part of serbia) and to make matters worse, UNMIK with no new charter in Kosovo, would result in any attempt by the "Kosovo" govt to sell Kosovo assets as null and void. If any companies tried to do business in Kosovo, i.e. buying land,etc, Serbia will probably pursue them in their home courts and as the land is still technically owned by Serbia their case would be very strong. In other words, many companies simply would not want to do business in Kosovo. If the Albanians in Kosovo are hell bent on demanding independence illegally, then i'm sure that Serbia will make life very hard financially for Kosovo. Independence will come with a huge financial cost attached to it and the Americans only care about their CIA bases in Kosovo, not the ALbanian people. When they have no more uses for their bases, they will toss the Abanians aside like they do everyone else.

Ignorance is bliss. Asume Bush and the EU resognise Kosovo without UN recognition. Then technically Kosovo remains a part of Serbia which means that any contracts entered into by the "Kosovo Govt" will be null and void from a legal perspective enablng the Serbian govt to pursue companies in the US and EU courts for compensation. Serbia has no need for military intervention, it can crippple Kosovo financially. No company will want to trade with the Kosovo govt knowing that Serbia will pursue it in court for financial reparation.

The Albanians are right. God bless Ameria for it's generous legal system. it's that same system which will cripple Kosovo financially. you'll have to survive from the free handouts from the US govt who will no doubt just give you enough to stop you from rioting.

If you don't want to come to your senses then you'd better get used to a life of poverty with no hope for a better future whatsoever.

Have a nice day.

Bush has now plaved himself well and truly in a self closing trap!

The Russians have now hit the ball back in the US court. Putin said;

"If we come to the conclusion that the principle of a nation's right to self-determination is more important than territorial integrity then we will have to stick to that principle all over the world,"

If Bush now acts out of the UN thne he has well and truly answered putin on that exact question!!! For Bush to not act this week "time is up" then I guess we can appreciate the opposite response.

At that point I will again suggets that The Serbian citizens of the Ssrbian province deserve an opportunity for hope and development and not to turn their backs on building reconciliation and trust that all the peoples of Serbia deserve especiallin it's province of kosovo & Metohija! Lets move on with a new found hope for a better future for all the peoples of Serbia irrespective of ethnicity!

Kosovo is part of the Serbian Constitution as its integral part, but does it have any control over territory. Who rules Kosovo, Who collect taxes and customs, who is responsible for the security, who...?. Neither Serbia or Russia.

It is very strange to me that the Albanians in Kosovo and on this forum do not understand that unilateral proclaiming of independece means absolutely nothing. No UN-seat, no investors, no EU, no embassies, no diplomats, nothing. Work together with Serbia and demand a bit of the bright future Serbia seems to be heading. (Especially this year with 100s of investment companies and tourism coming from Britain, Germany etc. If you Albanians continue, you will end up as losers, believe me. Dont come back and cry this time next year when NOTHING has changed.

PB,

The UN has no authority whatsoever to recodnise anybody or anything. The UN is a consensus body.

Do not forget that even after a UN resolution, each country will have to officially recodnise Kosovo individually.

And even if what you say happens, which i doubt very much, we would rather live in poverty than under Serbia.

Kosovo has made up its mind a long time ago, no matter the cost and no matter how long we will get our independence sooner or later.

Oh and Serbia is not that rich either. Visit the areas outside of Belgrade and you will see what i'm talking about.

Truth is Serbia is scared of independence because it would radicalise an already radical Serbia and push your country east not west.

[Short of invading (which would be suicidal) there is nothing you can do.
(Nick, Monday, 11 June, 2007, 11:53)]

no, Nick, I think once again you are too emotional,if you are honest to yourself, you know very well that Serbia could free it´s territory without "commiting suicide"..

those Rambo-macho-phrases are only displaying your state of mind.

but that is not necessary, since Serbia is economically on the way up, and it has a lot of possibilities to make you feel that you are living on serbian soil.

once again, all this wouldn´t be necessary if you came to reason.

Dear All,
in the worst scenario ever for K-Albanians, Kosovo would enjoy the same situation as Taiwan.

Nick - You are bypassing the very real possibility in the event of unilateral recognition being supported by the US and the EU that there would be an immediate partition drawn across Kosovo.

Nick, I agree that Serbia currently is dirt poor but it's future is far rosier than an independent Kosovo. Serbia has a far larger population and economy than Kosovo and a much better infrastructure. YOu don't have to believe me but take a look at the numerous foreign companies deciding to situate themselves in Belgrade or Novi Sad. This just isn't happening in Kosovo, and probably won't if Kosovo declares independence unilaterally for the reasons i outlined earlier. Whilst Serbia will move forward economically whatever the outcome of Kosovo's independence, Kosovo's future will be dependent on how they obtain independence, legally or illegally. YOu say you would rather live in a poor Kosovo than under a Serbian regime but the Albanians have been saying that they want a dcision so that they can move on with their economy. it just isn't going to happen. Serbia will cripple Kosovo's economy in the worlds courts and not even the US govt can prevent that happening. When companies see the legal obstacles in their path they won't want to do business in Kosovo, but many will want to do business in Serbia. I really hope you meant it when you said you would live in poverty because that will be your reality. i'll be interested to see how many years you can live like that before there is pressure on the Albanian politicians to come to some agreement over Kosovo.

Kate,

A possibility, yes but not terribly likely as it would autimatically mean bargaining for other Albanian populated areas such as Bujanovc and Medvegj.

Still, it's nice to see the forumers threatening us with starvation rather than Arkan's Tigers. God bless!

Id like to welcome Republika Srpska to the the world stage as the newest nation to be formed, if albanians gain independence. Sorry, but Kocobo is Srbija

PB and Princip are trying to convince themselves... between the two of them they post more items than the rest put together. Please wait until someone actually disagrees with you.
Recognitions are always 'unilateral' and they cannot be otherwise. I advise Kosovo not to recognize Serbia or Russia even if they do recognize Kosovo. Looking forward to the day when SErbia will break off relations with US, EU over Kosovo... Pursue them in your courts... Yes, Clinton, Blair, Solana, are the "most wanted in SErbia,' yet Solana can come to Belgrade and say he supports Kosovo independence. As for investments, businesses will invest wherever they find business opportunities... they don't care about status or politics... they do so in China (where government can appropriate their investment at will), Nigeria, Libya...

To all:
It is inevitable that Kosovo will gain Independence from Serbia. I think that is a good think, for Serbia as well. You guys are not able to comprehend that.
If Kosovo is independent, it goes straight inotu EU and NATO and right after that, Serbia will follow. Serbian leaders are not smart enough to understand that. That is a fact.
In my opinion, if Kosovo and Serbia go into EU and NATO there will be no fighting and the differences will minimize.
I reject the comments that if Kosovo becames Independent unilaterally Serbia will persue the companies doing business in Kosovo in courts of their own contries. That is so nearsighted.
We all have to stop thinking with our ego's and things will get much better amongst us, whoever, serb, albanian, muslim, christian and everybody else.
GET RID OF YOUR EGO'S!!!!

To Ratko:

It seems that Kosovo might be Serbia only in a legends and myths. With this you can cheat only your own children and nourish the serbian and slavic nationalism and radicalism. You need to come up from this no matter how painful will be the reality, but reality was and is different...

South Ossetia/Kosovo parralels and precedent.

The de facto independent republic governed by the
secessionist government has held a second independence
referendum on November 12, 2006, after its first referendum in 1992 was not recognized by the international community as valid. As expected the referendum turned out a majority for independence
from Georgia. However, it was not recognized internationally
by the UN, given the lack of ethnic Georgian participation
and the legality of such referendum without recognition from the central government in Tbilisi.

Therefore no independance. Enough said.

The beauty of this whole thing is that the US is no longer the only super power, and the Russians and Chinese don't care much what Bush says. You heard Putin, Veto = no independence. If Albanians declare independence anyway, there will be partition, complete economic blockade of Kosovo thereby seizing any new investment in that area, and unilateral declaration of independence of Republika Srpska.

Alban and Nick - Alban, I haven't seen anyone here threatening you with any sort of paramilitary groups. Personally, I wish for everyone in the Balkans peace and no further violence.

On the subject of partition, I was just throwing in a possibility IF there was a unilateral declaration and IF this was supported by the US and EU. There are many hurdles to get past before this could happen.

What was Bush supposed to say while he was enjoying his rare love-in in Albania? That Kosovo independence may not happen?? He would have been lynched!

This is all just words and bluster. Nothing has changed since last week and Kosovo is in reality no nearer independence.

As Kostunica said this morning, Kosovo does not belong to the US to hand over as a 'love token'.

The truth is not that the US feel sympatico with the people, but that they are scared of a confrontation. They have troops on the ground and it's far easier and safer to side with the Albanians than Serbia.

Plus this power battle going on with the US and Russia has a major role in the big picture.

World wars always start in the Balkans - doesn't anyone know their history?

Boba fet
It is very strange to me that the Albanians in Kosovo and on this forum do not understand that unilateral proclaiming of independece means absolutely nothing. No UN-seat, no investors, no EU, no embassies, no diplomats, nothing. Work together with Serbia and demand a bit of the bright future Serbia seems to be heading. (Especially this year with 100s of investment companies and tourism coming from Britain, Germany etc. If you Albanians continue, you will end up as losers, believe me.
You are wrong my friend! it is you who doesnt understand!obviously it wouldve been nice to have Russia recognize Kosovo as an indipendent country. However i doesnt have to! Russia is not a super power anymore. it is not as influentaial as it used to be... i pitty the serbs for following the same path they once condemned. being a russian puppet its pathetic. to make the story short as it might come as a big surprise to you and Princip, Kate and Ratko and many more... Kosovo to have a UN seat it only needs to have just over 70 UN memeber countries to recognize Kosovo as an indipendent country. no need to go through the UN securtiy council...
live with it!...
please get on with your lives and let kosovo people and its neighbors live in peace and harmony. Kosovo is gone from serbia forever.
take care
spunky

Last I checked Serbia has had absolutely no say or control in Kosovo since 1999. I have no idea where Serbs think they can go back to occupy a land and people especially after they killed 10,000 +. People just understand that those 2MM Albanians dont want to live and never will live with Serbia and Serbs - not after the blood was running all over Kosova. I'd like to say to Kostunica that what was done in Kosova and other former Yugo republics was not internationally acceptable (since he keeps on saying that over and over - when others want to recognize Kosova).

Jovan,

As you took back your territory in 1999?

Today is the 8th aniversary of the Liberation of Prishtina.

It looks like Kostunica is paving its way out of politics. He will not accept the Independence of Kosova and resign. President of Serbia already mentioned that Kosova status is certain.
Actually, do Serbians care about Kosova. Answer is NO.
The only ones in Serbia that care are K-Serbs. They are the victims of politics that some of you here suggest to be followed. Moreover, they are not treated as equals in Serbia. They are called “shiftari” offending name. Can any from you Serbians in here tell me why are they not called Serbs?


Princip

There is a nice paragraph that you have laid out there about us living together in peace. Very same words were mentioned in the previous SCG constitution and guess what happened? The opposite. The same people that that put down those words ordered state of terror on Albanian population. This means that, words as such said by any Serb in this planet would not be taken seriously, so are yours.

PB

You are wrong in thinking that Kosova have no investments and no economic development. Yes it is poverty here to but things are improving slowly. Serbian regime destroyed the entire economy and left. This is another reason not to be with Serbia.
Process of privatisation of public property is almost over. Buyers are from USA, EU etc. Is Serbia suing anyone over this process. No, because they have no grounds. Privatisation is being done under the supervision of the international community what means that all the legal obstacles are removed before it started. Maybe buyers don’t care asking Serbia because Kosova has no links to Serbia and will not have any links to Serbia.
Serbia cannot cripple Kosova like you say because free market is the one that cripples someone. You cannot predict the markets mate, sorry.

Yes DAN you are correct. Here is something to support you comment.
Dobrica Cosic Former Yugoslav President.
“Lažemo da bi smo obmanuli sebe, da utešimo drugog; lažemo iz samilosti, da nas nije strah, da ohrabrimo, da sakrijemo svoju i tudju bedu, lažemo zbog poštenja. Lažemo zbog slobode. Laž je vid našeg patriotizma i potvrda naše urodjene inteligencije. Lažemo stvaralacki, maštovito, inventivno.”

“We lie to deceive ourselves, to console others; we lie for mercy, we lie to fight fear, to encourage ourselves, to hide our and somebody else’s misery. We lie for love and honesty. We lie because freedom. The lie is the trait of our patriotism and the proof of our innate smartness. We lie creatively, imaginatively, inventively.”

Dane,
myths and legends??? Or how about facts and law??? But youre right about legends, the legends of King Lazar and other noble Serbs will live on forever. Its a fact that Kosovo has ALWAYS been recognized by the international community as Serbian land. This has been the case throughout history. The only people who saw it differently, were albanians. So who is talking about a myth? The LAW is on the Serbian side, you talk about Serbs breaking the law for the past 20 yrs and thats your reason for wanting Kosovo, but you forget that for the pasty 100 yrs, Serbs have been mistreated and expelled from their own country. So if your bases in independence is do to mistreatment, then my friend, you better get used to be called a Serbian citizen, living in the Republic of Srbija!

To Nick....

Watching the news broadcasts of Bush's visit to Albania, was like watching the circus come to town..Really..
The western press had a hayday with this visit. Especially with his verbal fumbling..

I'm not going to get pulled into the YES or NO debate here, but let me add something please.....

To the Serbs..
Please...Please...Please...
For the sake of your sanity, and for the sake of not getting pulled into Albanian's sphere of laughter, don't cry if Kosovo is gone...In fact, i would suggest closing off the borders

At this point in time, if the US declared Kosovo independent...I would say Arivaderci..

Is there any reason why Serbia allows the US embassy in Belgrade to remain open? In 1999 in Washington, the Americans ejected the Yugoslavs from their embassy - supposedly their sovereign territoy - kicking them out into the street in their nightclothes. If the USA is working to dismember/destroy Serbia, it should not be allowed an embassy in Serbia and for it to pretend that it is any kind of a honest broker in the region. The US has a particular vested interest in what it is doing because it wishes to keep a (rent free) military base in south east Europe, so it is pushing for this option.

Serbia's interests lie with Russia. Not with the decadent imperialistic West that has left a horrific legacy to this world by their slavery, colonialism and exploatation. Serbia will not join NATO. For the obvious reasons. EU is fine. The US Empire is bankrupt. Their official debt is $9 trillion. Debts at all levels are astronomic. Savings are negative for the first time since the Great Depression in 1929. Foreigners hold their debt. China has $1.3 trillion in reserves. Russia around $400 billion...Russia's ruble is underpinned by the hard currency: oil. The Empire has bases in 80% of all countries in the world. They have almost nobody to occupy and submit to their will any longer. Look:

Putin Plays Down I.M.F. and W.T.O.

By ANDREW E. KRAMER
Published: June 11, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, June 10 — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia called Sunday for a new global economic framework that would play down the role of institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization and instead emphasize regional alliances.

Such a system, he said, would reflect the rising power of emerging- market economies like Russia, China, India and Brazil, and the decline of old heavyweights like the United States, the Europeans and Japan.

Mr. Putin, speaking at a business forum attended by international corporate executives, said advanced industrial economies were dominating the institutions of world trade in an “inflexible” manner, even as their own share of global wealth was diminishing.

The world needs a “new architecture of international economic relations based on trust and mutually beneficial integration,” he said. “Today protectionism, which the W.T.O. is meant to fight, often comes from developed economies.”

He said that more than 60 percent of the world’s output was produced outside the G-7 countries: the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada.

Goldman Sachs has predicted that by 2050, Brazil, Russia, India and China will be the world’s dominant economies.

Mr. Putin’s critique of Western economic institutions came as Russia is seeking membership in the W.T.O., the Geneva-based forum for world economic disputes. W.T.O. members have criticized Russia for allowing the pirating of intellectual property, among other violations of trade rules.

The Russian leader’s ideas received a lukewarm response from the foreign officials in attendance.

Peter Mandelson, the European Union trade commissioner, countered Mr. Putin’s suggestion that regional economic alliances might replace global institutions like the I.M.F., which emerged more than half a century ago in the aftermath of World War II. “Globalization does not respect spheres of influence,” Mr. Mandelson said. “Membership in the W.T.O. is Russia’s ticket to a rules-based system.”

The meeting was held to reassure investors and foreign leaders that Russia remained committed to free trade and open to foreign investment, in spite of a chill in political relations with the West.

At the meeting, Boeing announced a $3.5 billion plane sale to the Russian national carrier Aeroflot. Also, Suzuki, Audi and Samsung announced new factories. In total, 30 deals were signed worth $13.5 billion, according to organizers.

cowboy bush is good only to bully weak states but look how he is afraid of iran, north korea, venezuela and cuba. look how his soldiers are dying in iraq in a useless war he created. now he wants to meddle in european domestic affairs.

TO ALL ALBANIANS
So bush said IRAQ is free... bush said Afganistan is free... he said Kosovo is free. He obviously does not understand international laws and is so blind that only the Albanians in Kosovo believe him.

The fact to the matter is that when Russia VETOs the new resolution, the old one will take its place. It says in it that Russian troops are allowed to enter Kosovo as part of the peacekeeping force. Also you ONLY have Americans/albanians backing Kosovos independence now. For some reason a lot of other countries shut up as soon as Putin said he will VETO the resolution. Could it be they might need UN resolution b4 they could act.

One day there will be an awaking in the balkans, people will look around and see not only are you my neighbour but my family. For anyone to think that after 700 years of living next door to one another there is no shared blood is dreaming.

Once it was the same in the north, the Scandi tribes slaughtered one another for eons, but they found a way forward.

Democracy started in the Balkans, now its a joke.

Acknowledge the wrongs of the past, ask for for forgiveness.

Let's move forward.

Let's all grow up!

We are grateful to Mr President Bush" HE DECLARED INDEPENDENCE"

Bush's gaffe is reminiscent of his utterance some years ago, after a meeting with Ariel Sharon. To the delight of Sharon, and to the consternation of everyone else, Bush came out of the meeting and said that Israel would get part of the West Bank in a future settlement. When the Decider has made up his mind, he shoots fast. In his great largesse,
Bush loves to give away territories to political favorities.

President Bush's message was the clearest ever to Putin. Accept Ahtisari's resollution, or you'll be totally humiliated and isolated. If Putin hasn't gotten it by July the first, then, Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Kosovo, will be pushed by US and EU.

It seems to me that you are all attributing a vastly disproportionate amount of credence to the word of someone who has so little international credibility even his own people generally turn only a deaf ear toward him.

I see that the US foreign affairs offices is calling in favours with the Director of the Balkan Institute for Democracy "Ivan Vejvoda" to make stupid claims like "the presidents of the U.S. and Russia may manage to reach a compromise over Kosovo, which would, according to him, make enough room for Russia to abstain from using its veto at the UN Security Council." It is OVER, Bush and company lose, its now time to resolve this matter properly, and preferably without the involvement of the USA, this should be a EU-Serbian-Albanian matter. Why should the US stick their noses into European affairs? I have a great deal of respect for how Serbia who is 150 times smaller then the USA is standing up to them!

Michael,

I wouldn't turn a deaf ear to Bush. Neither should Putin or Kostunica. It looks like he is set to recognize Kosovo/Kosmet unilaterally. Putin and Kostunica should come up with a partition proposal now before this Cowboy humiliates them. To me this is the only safe facing plan for Serbia and Russia whether some of you agree or not.

Nily, you wrote - "who is responsible for the security, who...?. Neither Serbia or Russia".

And for that matter Nily, The Albanians are not ruling Kosovo either and certainly not in control of Security. Do you think that the 17,000 NATO soldiers are their for looks only? You people have just managed to change land lords, that's all, but legally Kosovo remains Serbian and quite frankly that's all Serbia wants, they have no interest in ruling you people.

Saying the NATO bombing was a mistake is a dangerous line - the world reacted because it could not stand by and allow another load of mass killing. It is no good starting that argument again.

On the other hand, NATO did not bomb to conquer - its humanitarian aims are fulfilled in that Milosevic is gone and the current Serbian government is seeking to govern according to proper law and humanitarian principles.

Olf, we agree on two things. Privatisation that has taken place will not be rolled back, and secondly that a free market economy is a good thing. you miss the vital point though. When UNMIK's tenure is over there will be no international community which will have any power to grant contracts in Kosovo. Kosovo will be under Serbian law so any company which tries in the future to do business there is risking legal action. Anyhow we all know that Kosovo has a dim future ahead of it, just take a look next door at ALbania. what has it achieved in the last 17 years with no wars or no sanctions - nothing. Even Bush hinted at it - there will be no EU or NATO entry for you either so you won't get a boost to your economy from there.

Wow TIRANA looked like a circus. And bush is the RING-MASTER. VETO AT UN = NO INDEPENDENCE. Then you are on your own. US wont do nothing without the EU and EU wont do nothing without UNSCs approval. :) The way the world works.

To Nick:

You said > "Oh and Serbia is not that rich either. Visit the areas outside of Belgrade and you will see what I'm talking about."

You are a work of art! Several times before you claimed to have never been to Belgrade or any other place in Serbia aside from Kosovo but yet you make this claim today as if you seen it for yourself, and know what you're talking about.

John2,
"PB and Princip are trying to convince themselves... between the two of them they post more items than the rest put together. Please wait until someone actually disagrees with you.
Recognitions are always 'unilateral' and they cannot be otherwise. "

- I have to point out that I don't need convincing seeing as I have all along suggested that the best way forward is a compromise - a solution that all can agree and one that is win-win and not an imposed one-sided solution that disrespects intenational Law (before you jump with the "Serbia didn't respecting international law in the 90's" - lets just nip it with do you believe in it or not??? Of not fine that is your loss but if you do then surely 2 wrongs don't make right and beyond that I recall 1244 was agreed post conflict!!!).

Nor for that fact do I need convinceing seeing as I did not say Independence by 2006, ok definetly early 2007, definely in May as Ceku has done - but where is that Independence ? I recall the Kosumi resigned for only stating a deadline once - Ceku's deadlines seem to change each month!! Where is that party? What has happened to that Cake someone ordered many months ago saying they would have cake to celebrate???? Ah yes NO Independence when Ahtisaari postponed bacuase of Serbian elections (who said serbian institution has no control on Kosovo!), NO Independence when the UK held presidency of the UN , No Independence when the US held the presidency of the UN, No independence in June and I don't need convincing that there will be no Independence in July - especially when you realise that China will be hold the UN SC presidency!!!! You keep convincing yourself it will be tomorrow but guess what tomorrow never comes and I will need no convincing in the present!!!

Before we heard the argument that Russia is weak and it will abstain but February, March, April, May have passed and Russia has not backed down! In fact it has made it's position very clear and it is pleased that the EU is now listening!!!

Bush well he has a habit of promising things that arn't really truthful e,g, "mission accomplished" and I am sure you read the comments of all the other things he is known to have said as fact !! Carry on beliving what you wish but sooner or later you will realise that a Sovereign state cannot be dismembered by a ethnic minority becasue they are a local majority!!!

1244 was formulated and signed by the US and it will stand untill a solution that is agreeable to all is found else such haste will be "futile & Counterproductive".

Surely it is better that a real and lasting solution that is agreeable to all is found. For those who state there is none - I would suggest you open your mind and think out of the "conflict" box and realise that without perusing all possible avenues of alternatives how can you even dismmis the idea of find a solution! Ahtisaari himself said that he never discussed any other alternative beyond the one that he had in mind! Is that the best mediation skills in the world today???? I don't think I need convincing on that one!

Nick,
"Truth is Serbia is scared of independence"
Serbia is not scared of something that has zero cahnce of happening!!!

Nily - who pays for the full proportion of ex-Yugoslav debt, Serbia - that is what the outside investors see and know!!!

Alban,
if there was a unilateral declaration All of Kosovo & Metohija will remain integral to Serbia and it will be the attempt at partition that such an ILLEGAL act that the UN & NATO will be obliged to counter - no need to make it look like the North & South has succeded when it will the be the central rump that was acting illegally and NATO will be obliged to ensure the valid UN resolution 1244 was implemented - such a move would be equivalent to violence and I think you know how thw NATO trrops react to violnce in February! Don't forget at that point the US will wash it's hands as it is faced with other more pressing issues not because of Serbia or Russia but some of the well conected partners of the KLA - you know Al Quida who have tied down the US and NATO in Afghanistan and Iraq! Of course if the UN administration needs military support there is a clause within 1244 which can provide the support that Serbia will gladly provide - of course as a support and nothing else required!!!!

Laser,
"In my opinion, if Kosovo and Serbia go into EU and NATO there will be no fighting and the differences will minimize. "
- in which case why create artificial borders, barriers and increase these differences all the more by attempting to illegally partition the UN recognised Republic of Serbia????
Suerly it makes sense to not increase difference and suggest that all the peoples of Serbia start working together towards the EU instead NOW and not after attempting to cause even greater hardship and animosity - surely you should agree the way forward is win-win NOW. You can't possibly think the way forward is Lose-Lose and then we can maybe start working together!!!

Massimo,
"worst case ...Taiwan" - really!!! Please that made my day!

Boris - that's what i've been advocating all along. my suspicion is that the US is determined to ensure that Russia uses it veto to leave Kosovo in a legal "no-mans land". They can they use their bondsteel base to do whatever they wish with detainees similar to Guantanamo.

Oh come on Kostunica! In 1913 Russia expressed its love for serbs giving them as a present a territory which didnt belong to Russia, nor Serbia. Do you feel hurted now that is happening the contrary? What about albanians feelings since 1913? You cutted their country in half and left them in misery, stealing 50% of their resources and capacities. Kosovo was part of a sovereign country in 1913, it was dismembered and serbs took it as a present from russians. Dont be blind. The balances in the Balkans are to be rebuilt. There are four nations making the balances in the Balkans. 8 millions of serbs, 8 millions of albanians, 8 millions of bulgarians and 8 millions of greeks. The onlys which were denied from a national state, were the albanians, divided among Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, forcing them to feel as unimportant and satellite as the other small nations of montenegrins, slovenians, croatians and muslims. Now it is time to rebuild those balances. So please serbs, don't cry. Just recognize you are an equal nation among the others in the area.

We the Serbian people and all minorities in Kosovo hurt by this are outraged at the greatest possible blunder of American foreign policy.

Serbia will never allow this because it stands for something.

Has anyone here noticed that the only Country continuing to show support for an independent Kosovo is now the USA? Ever since Russia made it VERY CLEAR at the G8 Summit that it would Veto, the EU has suddenly become quiet. The only humiliation going on so far is that of the USA. They are looking pretty stupid right now, but then that's nothing new for them, since they are looking stupid in Iraq too. And for those of you who are actually believe that Kosovo can survive economically if they declare an illegal independence, you real need to educate yourself on world laws. Serbia will not invade Kosovo it does not have to do that. NATO is there to put down the violence but if they fail then according to resolution 1244 both Russia and Serbia may enter Kosovo to protect their interests and the lives of its citizens.

Bush, now you can welcome Republika Srpska to Srbija, no matter what happens in Kosovo.

Canadian,
The Albanians remember well what kind of landlord Serbia used to be. In democratic countries like the US or Canada if a landlord behaves the way like Serbia did then the legal authorities intervene on behalf of the tenants. That is what the NATO did in 1999 on behalf of the Kosovars. In general they do not allow such a landlord to return to his business. Thank God there are rules like this in today's civilized world.

Kate,

I know that nobody has threatened with paramiliatry groups here - that's exactly what I said. Quite an improvement from only a few years ago. I'll take the economic blocade threat anytime,we'll make do somehow. And Kate, I am not even saying wrong or right, but the decision on the status of Kosova has been taken a long time ago - sometime around 1999 - yesterday Bush only spelled it out loud.

Someone said "Good thing is US is not the only superpower" - What planet do you live in exactly? Russia is as crippled as ever, even the wealth that has been generated from gas sales is to be found in the bank accounts of a few Russian oligarchs - London and Swiss bank accounts by the way.
This is just how it works, in 1913 they split Albania and there was nothing the Albanians could really do. You are now finding out what that feels like and to some extent I am actually sorry for you.

"By the time he got to Albania the next morning, he was befuddled when a reporter asked for more detail on the deadline.

"First of all, I don't think I called for a deadline," he said Sunday in his latest European stop. That drew a curious reaction, and Bush picked up on it.

"What exactly did I say? I said, 'Deadline?'" Bush asked.

Someone signaled that he did, in fact, say the word.

"OK, yes, then I meant what I said," Bush said to laughter.

He went on to explain that Kosovo should not continue adrift through endless debate.

"That's what I meant," Bush declared."

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Jun10/0,4670,WhatapossinaName,00.html

I hope Bush does a better job in Kosovo then Iraq or Afghanistan. You guys sure you want him on your side? I'm actually surprised he didn't declare it "mission accomplished" and then go home because Albania is already independent.

Seriously though, Bush clearly doesn't think about what he says or even remember it. If he keeps mentioning it, then you guys know you have his support. However, if he forgets about it, and he probably will, then it doesn't mean a whole lot. Already he seems to have indicated he's putting it all into the hands of Condi Rice. Time will tell.

Hello people! Today I raised a serbian flag in my front garden in Finsbury park, London, and I declared that from now on my piece of land and house is part of Serbia. Could my albanians friends get in touch with Bush and help me to recognize my new serbian plot among the Britsh institutions? Thank You!

I don't understand the comments by some posters that independence without a UN seat means nothing. That is so UNTRUE, you do not need a UN seat to be independent, UN is a voluntary organization. Noone can force you to become part of it. Remember Switzerland was not a UN member until recently, BUT IT IS AN INDEPENDENT and PROSPEROUS country.
Peace :)

Kujtim, Switzerland is a far, far, far cry from anything Kosovo can ever hope to be.

Marko,

But why ask Bush when you Serbs have a loyer, Putin, who can get everything for you and he is not even charging for his services?
With your Russian connections you don't have to worry. You are all protected. Do you realize how lucky you are?

Marko - the US has already done it! Stealing a beautiful old square in London to protect their embassy. A whole square! Cordoned off with fencing and guards. Large enough to open a Macdonalds BTW.
So nobody could complain about your 'Finserbia'.

There appear to be to many Albans here. And someone responded to a comment I din't write. Alban Castro, born in Costa Ricca. If I take Albanian side sometimes is because I see that Serbia has done a great injustice to these people. Have no other connection with Albanians.

Mike,
An independent Kosovo - even with the lowest espectations - can be better for the Kosovars than being part of Serbia. I just read yesterday that even Canad, one of the Serb leaders of Vojvodina noted that after Kosovo the status of Vojvodina has to be discussed. The Serbs of Vojvodina know well that Serbia is milking Vojvodina economically and they would like to change that one way or other.

Nick wrote:
"As you took back your territory in 1999?"

let´s make it clear Nick, Serbia was bombed for as long as 78 days, and those "allies" destroyed 15 tanks! oh, wow!
quite a lot, right?

in that time, the KLA-terrorists were shown what it means to fight against an army, instead of killing civilians while they are having a coffee at a bar.

I can understand your anger, since you live there, but you don´t have any right to claim this region as yours!
I gave any argument, you never answered on it! that shows how little your legitimacy is worth!

so, instead of boasting of military "success" that was not even made by the Albanians..you should act like a responsible person, and stop spreading those cynical hate-related comments!

"If I take Albanian side sometimes is because I see that Serbia has done a great injustice to these people. Have no other connection with Albanians."

Alban Castro, ( honestly I don´t care whether you are an Albanian or not ) that´s the problem I see in your comments, your comments lack the background-info you should have in order to distinguish who has been the victim of injustice.
I advise you to take a look into a serious history book, and I don´t mean lampoon´s like the one of Mr.Noel Malcolm, I mean real history-books.

it´s every time astonishing on what narrow argumentative basis the commentors are arguing here!

Dear All,

My Albanians and My Serbs,

There are two ways to go one is conflict and fight and the other one is talk and move forward.
My Serb friends,
You started a war/s and you lost the war/s that is where the story ends. Kosovo will not have future without Serbia only if Serbia has no future and if Serbia decides to have no future than all you can be happy is destroy the future of others too. I have to say you have already destroyed enough think of future of Croatians, Bosnians and Albanians and if you intend not to see that than all you can expect is be perceived as supporters of Milosevic legacy or Rankovic legacy. One more thing if Kosovo is the heart and cradle of Serbia how come that there are no Serbs or there are only few Serbs around the churches which at one point of history were churches of all non Ottoman nations- how many times Serbs from Serbia visited their so called cradle of Serbs do they know how people look like or do you think any Albanian will be smarter than Montenegrin and decide to live within Serbia rule. Think your brothers by blood and language think what they think why they did not want to live in Serbia. Stop spending energy on hate and discrimination, Milosevic did not believe that west would bomb after what he was doing in Kosovo but it did happen and it will happen so forget Russia and others believe on your future as citizens of the world. You own an apology to all the neighbors’ and than you move on.
Mala

Now that our serbian fellows kind of understood the message that KS is going to be ind, they are threatening to block KS financially.

However, I can not understand how can one of the poorest country in Europe block anyone, especially if they don't have any control or influence at that place. You can allways waste money on the courts of EU and US to sue countries and companies that invest in KS but you are that will only harm serbian taxpayers as it hard to believe you will win any case considering that these countries are backing the independence of KS. If I am not wrong Serbia has sued many western countreis in many ocassion in the past for bombing Serbia but of course without success.

Regarding Russia we don't have any trade relations with them anyway so if they support our ind or not doesn't make any difference whatsoever.

Finally for you guys claiming that KS can not become ind without Serbia's consent I strongly invite to review ex YU history without mentioning other examples such as Brazil, Israel etc. I remind you Serbia initially didn't accept the ind of none of the ex YU republics declared unilaterally (such as Slovenia, Croatia Bosnia) however, all of the them are independent and more succesfull than Serbia today.

I really to hope though that Serbian people are going to vote in the future for democratic forces as their nationalist leaders such as Millosevic and Kostunica has only brought disaster and poverty to their people.

"By bombing Serbia in 1999, the U.S. has already made a mistake big enough for both this century and the previous one." (Kostunica)

Oh really, well what the heck was Serbia doing in the 90s? Hmm, let me think. Mass killings. Massacres. Rapes. All over the Balkans.

And you still have not apologized! Shame on you.

The United States did the right thing in 1999 and is doing the right thing in 2007.

I am an Albanian and I do not want to live under Serbia's rule. It just happens that 99% of Albanians think the same as I do.

Mala:

that´s the right question you are posing! but as usual the other Albanians, you too, do not dare to say it!

you cleansed the Serbs away, for decades now! and isn´t it a shame to tell the Serbs to stop hatred when it is just the Albanians who are burning down churches and monasteries?

and by the way, if those churches are not serbian ( though built in byzantine-serbian style ), as you wanna make others believe here, why are the Albanians burning them down then?

Joe, I do agree with you on this one. Kosovo is in an incredibly bad situation right now - at levels of sub-Saharan African standards in many respects - but I can't see it getting any worse if it were to take matters into its own hands. Still, it's going to take a lot more than good intentions to turn the region around and erase not just the scars of war brought on by revoked autonomy and war, but by rampant corruption, organized crime, extreme poverty, and illegal drug trafficking, all committed by various Albanian groups - tribes, clans, families, whatever you want to call them. Serbia has all of these too, but it far worse in Kosovo than Serbia. At best, an independent Kosovo will become completely dependent on the goodwill and handouts of the industrialized West, and investors will quickly pull their money out of a sinking ship if they know the region is not improving at all. In short, Albanians are going to have to work their butts off if they really want to make something of the region and disspell nearly all pessimistic predictions of the place.

On the subject of Vojvodina, I said a few days ago that in theory, this is one region that could actually benefit immediatedly seceding with strong tangible results. It's the richest, and most developed region of Serbia. Although it's never going to break away, I'd feel safer placing my money in Novi Sad anyday over Pristina.

"why are there no Serbs living by the churches"?? There are a couple of reasons for that. . . Firstly, Albanians have been cleansing Serbs out for at least 100 yrs. Albanians have a very high birth rate, and well, do the math!! Secondly, Tito encouraged albanians to cross into Kosovo because of his hatred for Serbs. So you have open borders, high birth rate, and intimidation of Serbs. That is why there are less Serbs in Kosovo. And the illegal war that was fought by NATO only made the situation for Serbs worse. All Milosevic did was try and protect what was his and stop terrorism in his country, its a shame that Clinton was such a fool!! Kosovo je Srbija

BURIM - you wouldn't have the problem, Serbia wouldn't have the problem nor would KosovO have the problem if you & the rest of the Albanians didn't kick Serbians out of their homes & off their land. Let's be realistic now.

You want to open the floodgates for debate - look at Jovan & Mike's comment. Then pick yourself up & type something back.

Cheers!

Bob, why not bring up the subject of Clinton's illegal bombing. There is growing evidence, and in opinion of many, that the so called"Humanitarian Intervention", is equal to Bush's "Weapons of Mass Destruction", as reason to invade a sovereign nation. In other words, it was fabricated for the most part. Let's really dig and find the truth about this. Just like these mass graves without bodies keep showing up, maybe Clinton's reasons for dropping bombs on civilains also have real no validity?

Do your own research, and not what CNN and other biased media feeds you. Google is a wealth for many differring facts and views.

I won't comment about this "Great News" for us Albanians.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of B92 for being so fair to this matter by publishing all the news, bad or good for the Serbian People.
Same time I would like to thank you for letting us express ourselves even though sometimes we go to far.
Thank You and keep up the good work.

Jovan,

What do you want me to say? We deserve Kosovo because we are descendants of the Illyrians or because Serbia only annexed it in 1912? Or maybe because data from some of the worlds oldest archives says Albanians were always more numerous than the Serbs in Kosovo?

Do you want me to say that we were here before the Slavs arrived in the 6th and 7th century?

You will never, ever agree to discuss the details behind these arguments and even if you do i am sure that like most Serbs you have been trained to deny, reject, humiliate, which makes most conversations futile.

As i said earlier, i wont answer sometimes because its pointless to argue about something we will never agree on. I will take my position and you take yours and perhaps in the endless heated exchanges i will learn something about you and you may learn something about me and we at least get to know each other. Its not much buts it is a start.

You call the KLA a terrorist organization and use terms such as uneducated, poor, terrorist, backwards and seem to think that i should agree to these terms and shut up. Well, i will not shut up, as long as you use such degrading terms as you should get used to my language because i will keep using is as long as the Serbian posters humiliate my countrymen.

There is no point in talking anything more civilized or intelligent than what was written above. You will refuse to admit the crimes committed against Kosovo Albanians in YOUR name and as long as that is the case do not expect any reasonably intelligent argument. I think it was Walter who said about 500 people were killed in Kosovo.... i mean r u people for real or what? More than 500 people were found in Batajnica alone.

If i feel like arguing i will argue with Matthew and Mike, with whom at least there is a chance for a decent conversation. Although the later seems to be taking a more radical line with each passing day. I will not get into an argument with YOU, Canadien or Princip who are so blinded by your RTS propaganda that you think your country should join Russia in a mighty Asiatic empire.

Do you even know what you are talking about man??? In an age where all European countries dream of joining the EU and NATO and once and for all bring peace and stability to our little corner of the world ours you think you should follow Kostunica and join warmonger Putin in blackmailing Europe and the world.

Kosovo will be independent one way or the other and what Russia thinks is irrelevant. You can not force 2 million people to live in a country they hate (for good reason). I implore you to join us in path of EU and NATO integration for the benefit of both our peoples.

For those of you here that say Kosovo doesn't need Serbian cooperation let's look at the facts.

70% of Kosovos business is with Serbia. So if Serbia decides to close the border it will be back to WFP food aid for the forseeable future because, whatever you might think, the border crossings at General Jankovic(sorry I mean Hani Elezit) and the one for Kukes are absolutely to small to get enough goods into Kosovo.

Also Serbia is the largest country you border and has the greatest economic development so with that border closed to you you would learn a whole new level of poverty. While Serbia would lose a small trading area you would lose 70% of the cruddy economy you currently enjoy. I'm sure you would also enjoy starting to pay off your portion of the Yugoslav Debt ($1.5 billion would be your share) which Serbia is currently making the repayments on for you.

Add to this the fact that Serbia would never recognise a Kosovo Passport and Serbia will get into the EU before you and then block your entry. If Kosovo becomes independent you may as well all emigrate. Maybe your buddy George will let you all into the US or perhaps he will realise he doesn't love you THAT much after all.

Kosovo could never be a Taiwan because it is land locked with bad access routes and a tiny population. Taiwan started life with the Chinese Imperial treasury and most of the brightest and best educated people in China immigrating into it. So no, there is no hope of a bright future through independence and Albania is hardly in a position to help you financially.

Best thing is to work hard at becoming good Serbian citizens.

What the Serbs ought to understand resides in this simple parahraph: «The prosecution is trying to prove that the crimes in Krajina had not been committed spontaneously or accidentally. They were planned and organized by the Krajina leadership in collusion with the Belgrade authorities and the JNA.»

There was a collusion to commit genecide and in Trbic's indictment, it is also clear: «The indictment alleges that Trbić entered an agreement with several others, including Generals Ratko Mladić, Milenko Živanović, Zdravko Tolimir and Radislav Krstić, to kill the able-bodied Bosnian Muslim men from Srebrenica that were captured or surrendered after the fall of Srebrenica on 11 July 1995 and remove the remaining Muslim population of Srebrenica and Žepa from Republika Srpska with the intent to destroy those Muslims.»

Everywhere it is the same modus operandi: women are seperated from men, often, women are sexually assaulted, the men are herded and gunned down, the villages are destroyed.

This is what I have been writing for years so 'ordinary Serbs' would come to this fatale deduction: our nation has ordered and committed crimes and atrocities, and we have no excuses, and therefore, we must ADMIT what has happened, even though we lost many of ours trhough these wars.

To: Joe

You said > The Albanians remember well what kind of landlord Serbia used to be. In democratic countries like the US or Canada if a landlord behaves the way like Serbia did then the legal authorities intervene on behalf of the tenants. That is what the NATO did in 1999 on behalf of the Kosovars.

And I agree with you the authorities in Canada do intervene on behalf of the tenets but and this is a BIG but... the authorities do not steal the land from the land lord and give it to the tenet!

"Kujtim, Switzerland is a far, far, far cry from anything Kosovo can ever hope to be."-Mike
Mike, that's not my point. Whether Kosovo is like Switzerland or not is another issue. Again, I was emphasizing that States DO NOT need to be UN members or have UN recognition to be independent as long as they have recognition by other countries. I haven't read or seen anywhere that independence has to be sanctioned by the UN with a UNSC resolution.

what hapen to kosovars last 100 yare there is no chance to live together with serbia sory .

Who is Bush to give something away that does not belong to him?

Is this "western democracy" to break international law as it fits your agenda?

I don't know why albanians are crying so much about independence because they already have one independent country. What happened to Albania dear albanians? Who is the big satan there? I wonder who you blame for your lives in Albania? As you blame the serbs for everything who is to blame for bankrupt Albania?

No, as the law and every singe international document is on the side of the serbs I see no way forward here for the albanians and their dear americans. Scream all you want for independence. It is not up to you to decide but to the whole people of Serbia.

Let it be a referendum on the territory of Serbia, including Kosovo, regarding future status of Kosovo. If independence get majority vote then goodbye albanians, live in peace. If you dont get majority vote get real and either live in autonomy.

The law is the law. Not a single country in the world would accept the Ahtisaari plan so why should Serbia?

No deal.

Mike,
Yes it is well-known that Volvodina is the richest part of Serbia. Why? Because it was part of a more advanced Hungary. Also Slovenia and Chroatia are so much richer. Why? Because they belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A long time ago - Tito was still around - I visited Slovenia. The Slovens complained that their country is milked by Serbia. I am sure the Chroits filled the same. But now all these "crown colonies" are gone except Vojvodina. It is interesting to see that even Serbs of Vojvodina feel that they are exploited by their brothers of Serbia.

Ratko...

none of the things you wrote are based on facts!

The only winner here is Kostunica,i guess that your romantic "historians" will transform him in the 21 century Arsenije!Sorry but i think this is pitty!

Ratko, you are right on. There are more Albanians in Kosovo today because they have been "Ethnic Cleansing" Serbians for decades. It's like in Detroit, families lived there for generations, and then had to abandon thier homes, with just their possessions, just for safety. That is how Kosovo became overwhelmingly Albanian. Kosovo je Srbija. Uvek ce biti!

«Secondly, Tito encouraged Albanians to cross into Kosovo because of his hatred for Serbs»

Why did he hate the Serbs?

I think that you've said the same thing about me, and I do not hate the Serbs; I hate what they did between 1990 and 1999 do 100 000s of innocents people.

President Bush is giving it another stab. His support and unusual love of the Albanian people is touching for the Albanians but it stops there.
International law must respect Serbia's sovereign territory. Otherwise, we are looking at the precedent of newly created independent states surfacing everywhere around the World with the blessings of President George W. Bush (junior) and the US State Department.
Negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina must begin in ernest for autonomy for Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija.

Seriously, if you Serbs and pro Serbs are confident of Russia's support, why on earth are you showing your fears here. We Albanians have heard you repeat these claims a zillion times already, we know Russia will veto, as you claim. All of a sudden, you've gathered round your flag and now are reacting like a cornered Milosevic who was about to be taken to the Hague can, with all these threats concerning the health and welfare of the Albanian people in Kosova.

Methinks you Serbs are shouting this stuff of Uncle Boris's protection too much here and you recognize clearly what Russia was and is and will always be about...

And we all know it ain't about any Serb Orthodox brotherhood or pan slav power. lol...

Serbs left Kosovo out of free will, just as much as Serbs are leaving southern Serbia now out of free will. THis has to do because We have a corrupt goverment.

Its not the fault of the Albanians but our own. We lost, too bad. Life goes on.

Firstly, I am from a western country but I cant understand why so many people in the west have attitudes and about serbia like some of those I read here. In London just before the bombing of Serbia started we were being told by the newspapers that 100,000 Albanians were already dead in kosovo, the BBC was telling us on panel discussions that 200,000 Albanians were "lying in shallow graves already".A huge lie. Even now we are being told that that 10,000 Albanians were killed in Kosovo.So how come the UN teams that scoured every corner of Kosovo after the bombing found only around 1500 bodies of mostly unknown ethnic origin?.Where are the 10,000?.The western media also keeps telling us they started bombing to stop the flow of refugees out of kosovo when it was clear tht there was no mass refugee crisis until AFTER the bombing started.Why doesnt the western media tell us that the Germans and Americans were funding and training the KLA well before 1999.Could it be the wests habit of creating a problem somewhere and then blaming it onsomeone else so that they can then themselves show up like the white knight to take over?. If the Albanians in Kosovo really were so "oppressed " before 1999 why had so many immigrated illegally from Albania?Were they forced to go into Kosovo?. Could it be that conditions were actually better for them in Yugoslavia than in Albania?.Why does the western media attempt to cover up the nazi past of states that the serbes supposedly "started wars with"?. Anyone with a basic knowledge of ww2 history knows about the Albanian Skanderberg SS troops, the Croatian Ustasha, the Bosnian muslim SS handschar division. Yet almsost unanimously the western media tries to portray the serbs as the nazis.This holds no water with anyone who knows even a little bit of ww2 history.The new world order people want serbia to completely subject to them, kosovo independence or no kosovo independence I cant see that happening.

Kosovars dont want to live with you any more, and they are 90%. You want to live with them, and you make only 10 % there.
What is this? Is this unilateral love!!!!! That is a land that has been on war for centuries. The last one was just 8 years ago. If serbs would have been more clever, would have contributed economically in the development of the province. And if economy is good than you dont need to fight and other things like the present situations. But as always, balkan history, tells us that balkan states does not cooperate with each other. They all proclaim the same land, same history. So sorry serbs, this was your choice this time. Kosovo will be independent.

To: Florian

You said > Kosovars dont want to live with you any more.

How about the 150,000 Serbs in Kosovo!??? How can you not want to live with them? This is why you shall never get independence. Serbia, Russia and the LAW guarantees that!

To: Lily

If you are so confident of your independence and the power of the USA why are you not idendpent yet? You have been going on about independence for the past 8 years and still no independence. All it takes to keep you going is a few words from America and buy into it. Have you not noticed how you and the rest of the Albanians are being played day after day, month after month, and probably will be year after year. Its time to stops this nonsense and start real talks to resolve this issue. Otherwise you people are participating in a mean American game that has no end.

Florian,

You are right. Serbia has tried nothing for years to settle its dispute with the Albanians from Kosovo. Milosevic tried in 1989 and we all know what happened. Now, that the rupture is totale, Kostunica and Tadic wat to build new bridges of understand, and it is impossible. Too little, too late.

As for Floyd, revisionnism is a dangerous attitude. If many corpses are missing, it's for the simple reason that they were mostly tranferred to Serbia who they have been buried in mass graves. Many have also been burned to ashes, or disposed in secret locations... Don' worry, time will uncover what a few have tried to hide!

Dear Guiseppe Franceschini,

you are very correct talking about decisions of world powers on 1913, but non of Serbs can consider it since the years, almost 1 century. Troubles between Serbs and Albanians started since that time (even before) and all decision making powers of our time knows that. Now is time for some corrections and international justice.

To Serbian posters and supporters,
Bush is not the only one who is supporting Kosovo independence issue. There are whole USA state Dept, UN, EU, NATO and many democratic countries worldwide. It is non sence to blaim one person or state. This is natural political process and it has to be completed with Kosovo independence. Difficulties are part of this process as well, but they will be managed in one or another way...
Nobody is giving land of somebody to somebody else. At the end of this process Kosovo will be ownership of Kosovars - 2 milion people who loves it, cares about it, returned to it at most difficult times, reconstructed it and will develop it; to a Kosovars who doesn't treat it as a piece of land but as homeland...
Good luck Kosovo on your own way...

Florien - you've hit the nail on the head as to why the regoion seems to be up in flames every 50 years or so. it'll take a sea change in attitudes by politicians of all ethnic groups to improve relations and living standards in the future. let's hope they all come to their senses.

P.S. I think Kosovo will ony gain independence if it is partitioned.

Dear lloyd: Which is the exact amount of people killed you need to see before you are convinced one nation deserves to be liberated from the rule of another nation which hates them and which will do anything to deport them all?

Dear Mark, you fail to understand the point I make which is that west had no justification at all for their attack on serbia despite the provocations of the KLA urged on by the west so they had to invent stories of genocide and mass graves in order to sell their bombing to an ignorant public. They still have no evidence and I doubt they ever will although they know their invented stories of bodies trucked back to serbia and disposed of or cremated will be gladly swallowed by many even though never proved. The serbs were entirely justified in confronting the KLA. The west wanted to see lots of dead albanians to give them an excuse to bomb serbia, when there were none apart from KLA, the west had to start lying becaus they had been planning to bomb serbia for a long time because serbia hadnt been following the world bank, IMF, NWO agenda and hadnt been selling off all their state assets like other more obedient countries also the west was indirectly trying to show Russia their strength indirectly through attacking serbia and trying to show that Russia could do nothing, in any case the Russians arent stupid and probably knew as well as well as anyone that serbs and albanians couldnt live togther so they werent to bothered about serbs being forced to leave kosovo.Ever since Milosevic gave the kosovo albanians autonomy and their own flag it was likely inevitable .Do the albanians seriously believe that if they get independence that they will have acces to kosovo's wealth which the west are eager to control?.The west has just been using the albanians even though Im sure they mistrust them

To: Canadien,

Let’s be reasonable people and not fall into extremism. I don't thing that the only reason why Serbia is not giving up Kosovo is about those 150.000 Serbs living there. I think is more than that.

We had enough wars in the Balkans. And as for me if Kosovo independent will not guarantee Serb citizens, living there, a peaceful and prosperous life it better stays with the actual status, cause it is obvious it cannot live under Serbia anymore. The future of Balkans is in the EU and clean ethnic states do not help in this regard.

We in Balkans have always thought that we are the center of the world (as Greece, an EU member state still does and will do forever!!! Poor them). The truth is that we are not the center of the world and will never be. So in this regard don’t count on Russia cause for another concession in some other part of the world will sell you out. There is no friendship nowadays, it is just a matter of economical interests. I just think that this time Serbia is on the wrong side.

To All:

Peace neighbours, it is worthless fighting. We can achieve more by cooperating.

«Secondly, Tito encouraged Albanians to cross into Kosovo because of his hatred for Serbs»

Why did he hate the Serbs?

I think that you've said the same thing about me, and I do not hate the Serbs; I hate what they did between 1990 and 1999 do 100 000s of innocents people.

The Government of Serbia can declare unliateral recodnition void but that will have no effect whatosever on the ground. Short of invading (which would be suicidal) there is nothing you can do.

It is clear that Serbia is in a clear and principled position. The Russians have asked that if the US wished to set a precedent then they must realise that it is equally applicable to every other nation seeing as they wish to do this in the UN!

So will bush be true to his words and call for a vote in the UN??? Lets wait and see this week!!! I think we will find that Bush is really just looking for a way to wash his hands from the whole issue - "we tried our intention was but those pesky Russians denied it...."

I hope no-one suggests it will happen next month instead - please think it through do you really see this being China's (as UN SC Presidency for July)priority by adding such folly to the agenda in July?????

The news is thus the folly of dismembering a UN recognised state has ended - this week will see the end once and for all! 1244 needs to now be implemented fully in order that the International community do not erode further credibility.

But what then for the Serbian province of Kosovo & Metohija and all the Serbian citzens???

All need to move on and start looking at the best way forward so that trust and reconcilation can begin - this should have been the focus from day 1 when the UNMIK administration went in but little thought was given post conflict - surely an even greater lesson needs not be imposed upon the region! The lesson is that the US is not the same super-power who uphold and protect rights in the world and the reality is that the environment is now a muli-polar world.

I implore the Serbian citzens of ethnic-Albanian heritage in the Serbian province of Kosovo & Metohija that we must all learn to put the past behind and stop with hate against each other - such diversions do little to help in the economic progression that the region desperatly requires. Are we not all Europeans? The EU ethos is not about creating thousands of multi-ethnic entities with new borders and illuminating what seperates but quite the opposite about unity!!!

Regarding the Serbian Province of Kosovo & Metohija it is evident that there never could deliverance of the promise that was false. No matter how much you hate the other people, we are all just passing through on this planet. We would all do a lot better and live happier lives if we could put away our hate and try to understand the other side. We all want the same thing-- to live freely, without fear and conflict. Each of us should start respecting the other side as human beings. Peace starts with each one of us. The reality is that we must learn to live amongst each other in a new found trust and reconciliation - Serbia's integrity being upheld is not negative but can be positive for all it's citzens - no matter what their ethnic heritage is. Lets work together for the win-win that all the peoples of Serbia deserve.

Nick - And without Serbia and Russia's blessing there is nothing that Kosovo can do legally on the international scene either. With UNMIK's tenure coming to an end relatively soon and requiring an extension for UNMIK troops to stay, what do you think will happen if Russia refuses that extension? Probably, the USA and EU will unilaterally recognise Kosovo, send their troops in and prevent Serbia from regaining it's territory. This might sound like good news for the Albanian population but how will you create a better standard of living when legally you don't own any of the land (it would still legally remain a part of serbia) and to make matters worse, UNMIK with no new charter in Kosovo, would result in any attempt by the "Kosovo" govt to sell Kosovo assets as null and void. If any companies tried to do business in Kosovo, i.e. buying land,etc, Serbia will probably pursue them in their home courts and as the land is still technically owned by Serbia their case would be very strong. In other words, many companies simply would not want to do business in Kosovo. If the Albanians in Kosovo are hell bent on demanding independence illegally, then i'm sure that Serbia will make life very hard financially for Kosovo. Independence will come with a huge financial cost attached to it and the Americans only care about their CIA bases in Kosovo, not the ALbanian people. When they have no more uses for their bases, they will toss the Abanians aside like they do everyone else.

Ignorance is bliss. Asume Bush and the EU resognise Kosovo without UN recognition. Then technically Kosovo remains a part of Serbia which means that any contracts entered into by the "Kosovo Govt" will be null and void from a legal perspective enablng the Serbian govt to pursue companies in the US and EU courts for compensation. Serbia has no need for military intervention, it can crippple Kosovo financially. No company will want to trade with the Kosovo govt knowing that Serbia will pursue it in court for financial reparation.

The Albanians are right. God bless Ameria for it's generous legal system. it's that same system which will cripple Kosovo financially. you'll have to survive from the free handouts from the US govt who will no doubt just give you enough to stop you from rioting.

If you don't want to come to your senses then you'd better get used to a life of poverty with no hope for a better future whatsoever.

Have a nice day.

Bush has now plaved himself well and truly in a self closing trap!

The Russians have now hit the ball back in the US court. Putin said;

"If we come to the conclusion that the principle of a nation's right to self-determination is more important than territorial integrity then we will have to stick to that principle all over the world,"

If Bush now acts out of the UN thne he has well and truly answered putin on that exact question!!! For Bush to not act this week "time is up" then I guess we can appreciate the opposite response.

At that point I will again suggets that The Serbian citizens of the Ssrbian province deserve an opportunity for hope and development and not to turn their backs on building reconciliation and trust that all the peoples of Serbia deserve especiallin it's province of kosovo & Metohija! Lets move on with a new found hope for a better future for all the peoples of Serbia irrespective of ethnicity!

Kosovo is part of the Serbian Constitution as its integral part, but does it have any control over territory. Who rules Kosovo, Who collect taxes and customs, who is responsible for the security, who...?. Neither Serbia or Russia.

It is very strange to me that the Albanians in Kosovo and on this forum do not understand that unilateral proclaiming of independece means absolutely nothing. No UN-seat, no investors, no EU, no embassies, no diplomats, nothing. Work together with Serbia and demand a bit of the bright future Serbia seems to be heading. (Especially this year with 100s of investment companies and tourism coming from Britain, Germany etc. If you Albanians continue, you will end up as losers, believe me. Dont come back and cry this time next year when NOTHING has changed.

PB,

The UN has no authority whatsoever to recodnise anybody or anything. The UN is a consensus body.

Do not forget that even after a UN resolution, each country will have to officially recodnise Kosovo individually.

And even if what you say happens, which i doubt very much, we would rather live in poverty than under Serbia.

Kosovo has made up its mind a long time ago, no matter the cost and no matter how long we will get our independence sooner or later.

Oh and Serbia is not that rich either. Visit the areas outside of Belgrade and you will see what i'm talking about.

Truth is Serbia is scared of independence because it would radicalise an already radical Serbia and push your country east not west.

[Short of invading (which would be suicidal) there is nothing you can do.
(Nick, Monday, 11 June, 2007, 11:53)]

no, Nick, I think once again you are too emotional,if you are honest to yourself, you know very well that Serbia could free it´s territory without "commiting suicide"..

those Rambo-macho-phrases are only displaying your state of mind.

but that is not necessary, since Serbia is economically on the way up, and it has a lot of possibilities to make you feel that you are living on serbian soil.

once again, all this wouldn´t be necessary if you came to reason.

Dear All,
in the worst scenario ever for K-Albanians, Kosovo would enjoy the same situation as Taiwan.

Nick - You are bypassing the very real possibility in the event of unilateral recognition being supported by the US and the EU that there would be an immediate partition drawn across Kosovo.

Nick, I agree that Serbia currently is dirt poor but it's future is far rosier than an independent Kosovo. Serbia has a far larger population and economy than Kosovo and a much better infrastructure. YOu don't have to believe me but take a look at the numerous foreign companies deciding to situate themselves in Belgrade or Novi Sad. This just isn't happening in Kosovo, and probably won't if Kosovo declares independence unilaterally for the reasons i outlined earlier. Whilst Serbia will move forward economically whatever the outcome of Kosovo's independence, Kosovo's future will be dependent on how they obtain independence, legally or illegally. YOu say you would rather live in a poor Kosovo than under a Serbian regime but the Albanians have been saying that they want a dcision so that they can move on with their economy. it just isn't going to happen. Serbia will cripple Kosovo's economy in the worlds courts and not even the US govt can prevent that happening. When companies see the legal obstacles in their path they won't want to do business in Kosovo, but many will want to do business in Serbia. I really hope you meant it when you said you would live in poverty because that will be your reality. i'll be interested to see how many years you can live like that before there is pressure on the Albanian politicians to come to some agreement over Kosovo.

Kate,

A possibility, yes but not terribly likely as it would autimatically mean bargaining for other Albanian populated areas such as Bujanovc and Medvegj.

Still, it's nice to see the forumers threatening us with starvation rather than Arkan's Tigers. God bless!

Id like to welcome Republika Srpska to the the world stage as the newest nation to be formed, if albanians gain independence. Sorry, but Kocobo is Srbija

PB and Princip are trying to convince themselves... between the two of them they post more items than the rest put together. Please wait until someone actually disagrees with you.
Recognitions are always 'unilateral' and they cannot be otherwise. I advise Kosovo not to recognize Serbia or Russia even if they do recognize Kosovo. Looking forward to the day when SErbia will break off relations with US, EU over Kosovo... Pursue them in your courts... Yes, Clinton, Blair, Solana, are the "most wanted in SErbia,' yet Solana can come to Belgrade and say he supports Kosovo independence. As for investments, businesses will invest wherever they find business opportunities... they don't care about status or politics... they do so in China (where government can appropriate their investment at will), Nigeria, Libya...

To all:
It is inevitable that Kosovo will gain Independence from Serbia. I think that is a good think, for Serbia as well. You guys are not able to comprehend that.
If Kosovo is independent, it goes straight inotu EU and NATO and right after that, Serbia will follow. Serbian leaders are not smart enough to understand that. That is a fact.
In my opinion, if Kosovo and Serbia go into EU and NATO there will be no fighting and the differences will minimize.
I reject the comments that if Kosovo becames Independent unilaterally Serbia will persue the companies doing business in Kosovo in courts of their own contries. That is so nearsighted.
We all have to stop thinking with our ego's and things will get much better amongst us, whoever, serb, albanian, muslim, christian and everybody else.
GET RID OF YOUR EGO'S!!!!

To Ratko:

It seems that Kosovo might be Serbia only in a legends and myths. With this you can cheat only your own children and nourish the serbian and slavic nationalism and radicalism. You need to come up from this no matter how painful will be the reality, but reality was and is different...

South Ossetia/Kosovo parralels and precedent.

The de facto independent republic governed by the
secessionist government has held a second independence
referendum on November 12, 2006, after its first referendum in 1992 was not recognized by the international community as valid. As expected the referendum turned out a majority for independence
from Georgia. However, it was not recognized internationally
by the UN, given the lack of ethnic Georgian participation
and the legality of such referendum without recognition from the central government in Tbilisi.

Therefore no independance. Enough said.

The beauty of this whole thing is that the US is no longer the only super power, and the Russians and Chinese don't care much what Bush says. You heard Putin, Veto = no independence. If Albanians declare independence anyway, there will be partition, complete economic blockade of Kosovo thereby seizing any new investment in that area, and unilateral declaration of independence of Republika Srpska.

Alban and Nick - Alban, I haven't seen anyone here threatening you with any sort of paramilitary groups. Personally, I wish for everyone in the Balkans peace and no further violence.

On the subject of partition, I was just throwing in a possibility IF there was a unilateral declaration and IF this was supported by the US and EU. There are many hurdles to get past before this could happen.

What was Bush supposed to say while he was enjoying his rare love-in in Albania? That Kosovo independence may not happen?? He would have been lynched!

This is all just words and bluster. Nothing has changed since last week and Kosovo is in reality no nearer independence.

As Kostunica said this morning, Kosovo does not belong to the US to hand over as a 'love token'.

The truth is not that the US feel sympatico with the people, but that they are scared of a confrontation. They have troops on the ground and it's far easier and safer to side with the Albanians than Serbia.

Plus this power battle going on with the US and Russia has a major role in the big picture.

World wars always start in the Balkans - doesn't anyone know their history?

Boba fet
It is very strange to me that the Albanians in Kosovo and on this forum do not understand that unilateral proclaiming of independece means absolutely nothing. No UN-seat, no investors, no EU, no embassies, no diplomats, nothing. Work together with Serbia and demand a bit of the bright future Serbia seems to be heading. (Especially this year with 100s of investment companies and tourism coming from Britain, Germany etc. If you Albanians continue, you will end up as losers, believe me.
You are wrong my friend! it is you who doesnt understand!obviously it wouldve been nice to have Russia recognize Kosovo as an indipendent country. However i doesnt have to! Russia is not a super power anymore. it is not as influentaial as it used to be... i pitty the serbs for following the same path they once condemned. being a russian puppet its pathetic. to make the story short as it might come as a big surprise to you and Princip, Kate and Ratko and many more... Kosovo to have a UN seat it only needs to have just over 70 UN memeber countries to recognize Kosovo as an indipendent country. no need to go through the UN securtiy council...
live with it!...
please get on with your lives and let kosovo people and its neighbors live in peace and harmony. Kosovo is gone from serbia forever.
take care
spunky

Last I checked Serbia has had absolutely no say or control in Kosovo since 1999. I have no idea where Serbs think they can go back to occupy a land and people especially after they killed 10,000 +. People just understand that those 2MM Albanians dont want to live and never will live with Serbia and Serbs - not after the blood was running all over Kosova. I'd like to say to Kostunica that what was done in Kosova and other former Yugo republics was not internationally acceptable (since he keeps on saying that over and over - when others want to recognize Kosova).

Jovan,

As you took back your territory in 1999?

Today is the 8th aniversary of the Liberation of Prishtina.

It looks like Kostunica is paving its way out of politics. He will not accept the Independence of Kosova and resign. President of Serbia already mentioned that Kosova status is certain.
Actually, do Serbians care about Kosova. Answer is NO.
The only ones in Serbia that care are K-Serbs. They are the victims of politics that some of you here suggest to be followed. Moreover, they are not treated as equals in Serbia. They are called “shiftari” offending name. Can any from you Serbians in here tell me why are they not called Serbs?


Princip

There is a nice paragraph that you have laid out there about us living together in peace. Very same words were mentioned in the previous SCG constitution and guess what happened? The opposite. The same people that that put down those words ordered state of terror on Albanian population. This means that, words as such said by any Serb in this planet would not be taken seriously, so are yours.

PB

You are wrong in thinking that Kosova have no investments and no economic development. Yes it is poverty here to but things are improving slowly. Serbian regime destroyed the entire economy and left. This is another reason not to be with Serbia.
Process of privatisation of public property is almost over. Buyers are from USA, EU etc. Is Serbia suing anyone over this process. No, because they have no grounds. Privatisation is being done under the supervision of the international community what means that all the legal obstacles are removed before it started. Maybe buyers don’t care asking Serbia because Kosova has no links to Serbia and will not have any links to Serbia.
Serbia cannot cripple Kosova like you say because free market is the one that cripples someone. You cannot predict the markets mate, sorry.

Yes DAN you are correct. Here is something to support you comment.
Dobrica Cosic Former Yugoslav President.
“Lažemo da bi smo obmanuli sebe, da utešimo drugog; lažemo iz samilosti, da nas nije strah, da ohrabrimo, da sakrijemo svoju i tudju bedu, lažemo zbog poštenja. Lažemo zbog slobode. Laž je vid našeg patriotizma i potvrda naše urodjene inteligencije. Lažemo stvaralacki, maštovito, inventivno.”

“We lie to deceive ourselves, to console others; we lie for mercy, we lie to fight fear, to encourage ourselves, to hide our and somebody else’s misery. We lie for love and honesty. We lie because freedom. The lie is the trait of our patriotism and the proof of our innate smartness. We lie creatively, imaginatively, inventively.”

Dane,
myths and legends??? Or how about facts and law??? But youre right about legends, the legends of King Lazar and other noble Serbs will live on forever. Its a fact that Kosovo has ALWAYS been recognized by the international community as Serbian land. This has been the case throughout history. The only people who saw it differently, were albanians. So who is talking about a myth? The LAW is on the Serbian side, you talk about Serbs breaking the law for the past 20 yrs and thats your reason for wanting Kosovo, but you forget that for the pasty 100 yrs, Serbs have been mistreated and expelled from their own country. So if your bases in independence is do to mistreatment, then my friend, you better get used to be called a Serbian citizen, living in the Republic of Srbija!

To Nick....

Watching the news broadcasts of Bush's visit to Albania, was like watching the circus come to town..Really..
The western press had a hayday with this visit. Especially with his verbal fumbling..

I'm not going to get pulled into the YES or NO debate here, but let me add something please.....

To the Serbs..
Please...Please...Please...
For the sake of your sanity, and for the sake of not getting pulled into Albanian's sphere of laughter, don't cry if Kosovo is gone...In fact, i would suggest closing off the borders

At this point in time, if the US declared Kosovo independent...I would say Arivaderci..

Is there any reason why Serbia allows the US embassy in Belgrade to remain open? In 1999 in Washington, the Americans ejected the Yugoslavs from their embassy - supposedly their sovereign territoy - kicking them out into the street in their nightclothes. If the USA is working to dismember/destroy Serbia, it should not be allowed an embassy in Serbia and for it to pretend that it is any kind of a honest broker in the region. The US has a particular vested interest in what it is doing because it wishes to keep a (rent free) military base in south east Europe, so it is pushing for this option.

Serbia's interests lie with Russia. Not with the decadent imperialistic West that has left a horrific legacy to this world by their slavery, colonialism and exploatation. Serbia will not join NATO. For the obvious reasons. EU is fine. The US Empire is bankrupt. Their official debt is $9 trillion. Debts at all levels are astronomic. Savings are negative for the first time since the Great Depression in 1929. Foreigners hold their debt. China has $1.3 trillion in reserves. Russia around $400 billion...Russia's ruble is underpinned by the hard currency: oil. The Empire has bases in 80% of all countries in the world. They have almost nobody to occupy and submit to their will any longer. Look:

Putin Plays Down I.M.F. and W.T.O.

By ANDREW E. KRAMER
Published: June 11, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, June 10 — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia called Sunday for a new global economic framework that would play down the role of institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization and instead emphasize regional alliances.

Such a system, he said, would reflect the rising power of emerging- market economies like Russia, China, India and Brazil, and the decline of old heavyweights like the United States, the Europeans and Japan.

Mr. Putin, speaking at a business forum attended by international corporate executives, said advanced industrial economies were dominating the institutions of world trade in an “inflexible” manner, even as their own share of global wealth was diminishing.

The world needs a “new architecture of international economic relations based on trust and mutually beneficial integration,” he said. “Today protectionism, which the W.T.O. is meant to fight, often comes from developed economies.”

He said that more than 60 percent of the world’s output was produced outside the G-7 countries: the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada.

Goldman Sachs has predicted that by 2050, Brazil, Russia, India and China will be the world’s dominant economies.

Mr. Putin’s critique of Western economic institutions came as Russia is seeking membership in the W.T.O., the Geneva-based forum for world economic disputes. W.T.O. members have criticized Russia for allowing the pirating of intellectual property, among other violations of trade rules.

The Russian leader’s ideas received a lukewarm response from the foreign officials in attendance.

Peter Mandelson, the European Union trade commissioner, countered Mr. Putin’s suggestion that regional economic alliances might replace global institutions like the I.M.F., which emerged more than half a century ago in the aftermath of World War II. “Globalization does not respect spheres of influence,” Mr. Mandelson said. “Membership in the W.T.O. is Russia’s ticket to a rules-based system.”

The meeting was held to reassure investors and foreign leaders that Russia remained committed to free trade and open to foreign investment, in spite of a chill in political relations with the West.

At the meeting, Boeing announced a $3.5 billion plane sale to the Russian national carrier Aeroflot. Also, Suzuki, Audi and Samsung announced new factories. In total, 30 deals were signed worth $13.5 billion, according to organizers.

cowboy bush is good only to bully weak states but look how he is afraid of iran, north korea, venezuela and cuba. look how his soldiers are dying in iraq in a useless war he created. now he wants to meddle in european domestic affairs.

TO ALL ALBANIANS
So bush said IRAQ is free... bush said Afganistan is free... he said Kosovo is free. He obviously does not understand international laws and is so blind that only the Albanians in Kosovo believe him.

The fact to the matter is that when Russia VETOs the new resolution, the old one will take its place. It says in it that Russian troops are allowed to enter Kosovo as part of the peacekeeping force. Also you ONLY have Americans/albanians backing Kosovos independence now. For some reason a lot of other countries shut up as soon as Putin said he will VETO the resolution. Could it be they might need UN resolution b4 they could act.

One day there will be an awaking in the balkans, people will look around and see not only are you my neighbour but my family. For anyone to think that after 700 years of living next door to one another there is no shared blood is dreaming.

Once it was the same in the north, the Scandi tribes slaughtered one another for eons, but they found a way forward.

Democracy started in the Balkans, now its a joke.

Acknowledge the wrongs of the past, ask for for forgiveness.

Let's move forward.

Let's all grow up!

We are grateful to Mr President Bush" HE DECLARED INDEPENDENCE"

Bush's gaffe is reminiscent of his utterance some years ago, after a meeting with Ariel Sharon. To the delight of Sharon, and to the consternation of everyone else, Bush came out of the meeting and said that Israel would get part of the West Bank in a future settlement. When the Decider has made up his mind, he shoots fast. In his great largesse,
Bush loves to give away territories to political favorities.

President Bush's message was the clearest ever to Putin. Accept Ahtisari's resollution, or you'll be totally humiliated and isolated. If Putin hasn't gotten it by July the first, then, Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Kosovo, will be pushed by US and EU.

It seems to me that you are all attributing a vastly disproportionate amount of credence to the word of someone who has so little international credibility even his own people generally turn only a deaf ear toward him.

I see that the US foreign affairs offices is calling in favours with the Director of the Balkan Institute for Democracy "Ivan Vejvoda" to make stupid claims like "the presidents of the U.S. and Russia may manage to reach a compromise over Kosovo, which would, according to him, make enough room for Russia to abstain from using its veto at the UN Security Council." It is OVER, Bush and company lose, its now time to resolve this matter properly, and preferably without the involvement of the USA, this should be a EU-Serbian-Albanian matter. Why should the US stick their noses into European affairs? I have a great deal of respect for how Serbia who is 150 times smaller then the USA is standing up to them!

Michael,

I wouldn't turn a deaf ear to Bush. Neither should Putin or Kostunica. It looks like he is set to recognize Kosovo/Kosmet unilaterally. Putin and Kostunica should come up with a partition proposal now before this Cowboy humiliates them. To me this is the only safe facing plan for Serbia and Russia whether some of you agree or not.

Nily, you wrote - "who is responsible for the security, who...?. Neither Serbia or Russia".

And for that matter Nily, The Albanians are not ruling Kosovo either and certainly not in control of Security. Do you think that the 17,000 NATO soldiers are their for looks only? You people have just managed to change land lords, that's all, but legally Kosovo remains Serbian and quite frankly that's all Serbia wants, they have no interest in ruling you people.

Saying the NATO bombing was a mistake is a dangerous line - the world reacted because it could not stand by and allow another load of mass killing. It is no good starting that argument again.

On the other hand, NATO did not bomb to conquer - its humanitarian aims are fulfilled in that Milosevic is gone and the current Serbian government is seeking to govern according to proper law and humanitarian principles.

Olf, we agree on two things. Privatisation that has taken place will not be rolled back, and secondly that a free market economy is a good thing. you miss the vital point though. When UNMIK's tenure is over there will be no international community which will have any power to grant contracts in Kosovo. Kosovo will be under Serbian law so any company which tries in the future to do business there is risking legal action. Anyhow we all know that Kosovo has a dim future ahead of it, just take a look next door at ALbania. what has it achieved in the last 17 years with no wars or no sanctions - nothing. Even Bush hinted at it - there will be no EU or NATO entry for you either so you won't get a boost to your economy from there.

Wow TIRANA looked like a circus. And bush is the RING-MASTER. VETO AT UN = NO INDEPENDENCE. Then you are on your own. US wont do nothing without the EU and EU wont do nothing without UNSCs approval. :) The way the world works.

To Nick:

You said > "Oh and Serbia is not that rich either. Visit the areas outside of Belgrade and you will see what I'm talking about."

You are a work of art! Several times before you claimed to have never been to Belgrade or any other place in Serbia aside from Kosovo but yet you make this claim today as if you seen it for yourself, and know what you're talking about.

John2,
"PB and Princip are trying to convince themselves... between the two of them they post more items than the rest put together. Please wait until someone actually disagrees with you.
Recognitions are always 'unilateral' and they cannot be otherwise. "

- I have to point out that I don't need convincing seeing as I have all along suggested that the best way forward is a compromise - a solution that all can agree and one that is win-win and not an imposed one-sided solution that disrespects intenational Law (before you jump with the "Serbia didn't respecting international law in the 90's" - lets just nip it with do you believe in it or not??? Of not fine that is your loss but if you do then surely 2 wrongs don't make right and beyond that I recall 1244 was agreed post conflict!!!).

Nor for that fact do I need convinceing seeing as I did not say Independence by 2006, ok definetly early 2007, definely in May as Ceku has done - but where is that Independence ? I recall the Kosumi resigned for only stating a deadline once - Ceku's deadlines seem to change each month!! Where is that party? What has happened to that Cake someone ordered many months ago saying they would have cake to celebrate???? Ah yes NO Independence when Ahtisaari postponed bacuase of Serbian elections (who said serbian institution has no control on Kosovo!), NO Independence when the UK held presidency of the UN , No Independence when the US held the presidency of the UN, No independence in June and I don't need convincing that there will be no Independence in July - especially when you realise that China will be hold the UN SC presidency!!!! You keep convincing yourself it will be tomorrow but guess what tomorrow never comes and I will need no convincing in the present!!!

Before we heard the argument that Russia is weak and it will abstain but February, March, April, May have passed and Russia has not backed down! In fact it has made it's position very clear and it is pleased that the EU is now listening!!!

Bush well he has a habit of promising things that arn't really truthful e,g, "mission accomplished" and I am sure you read the comments of all the other things he is known to have said as fact !! Carry on beliving what you wish but sooner or later you will realise that a Sovereign state cannot be dismembered by a ethnic minority becasue they are a local majority!!!

1244 was formulated and signed by the US and it will stand untill a solution that is agreeable to all is found else such haste will be "futile & Counterproductive".

Surely it is better that a real and lasting solution that is agreeable to all is found. For those who state there is none - I would suggest you open your mind and think out of the "conflict" box and realise that without perusing all possible avenues of alternatives how can you even dismmis the idea of find a solution! Ahtisaari himself said that he never discussed any other alternative beyond the one that he had in mind! Is that the best mediation skills in the world today???? I don't think I need convincing on that one!

Nick,
"Truth is Serbia is scared of independence"
Serbia is not scared of something that has zero cahnce of happening!!!

Nily - who pays for the full proportion of ex-Yugoslav debt, Serbia - that is what the outside investors see and know!!!

Alban,
if there was a unilateral declaration All of Kosovo & Metohija will remain integral to Serbia and it will be the attempt at partition that such an ILLEGAL act that the UN & NATO will be obliged to counter - no need to make it look like the North & South has succeded when it will the be the central rump that was acting illegally and NATO will be obliged to ensure the valid UN resolution 1244 was implemented - such a move would be equivalent to violence and I think you know how thw NATO trrops react to violnce in February! Don't forget at that point the US will wash it's hands as it is faced with other more pressing issues not because of Serbia or Russia but some of the well conected partners of the KLA - you know Al Quida who have tied down the US and NATO in Afghanistan and Iraq! Of course if the UN administration needs military support there is a clause within 1244 which can provide the support that Serbia will gladly provide - of course as a support and nothing else required!!!!

Laser,
"In my opinion, if Kosovo and Serbia go into EU and NATO there will be no fighting and the differences will minimize. "
- in which case why create artificial borders, barriers and increase these differences all the more by attempting to illegally partition the UN recognised Republic of Serbia????
Suerly it makes sense to not increase difference and suggest that all the peoples of Serbia start working together towards the EU instead NOW and not after attempting to cause even greater hardship and animosity - surely you should agree the way forward is win-win NOW. You can't possibly think the way forward is Lose-Lose and then we can maybe start working together!!!

Massimo,
"worst case ...Taiwan" - really!!! Please that made my day!

Boris - that's what i've been advocating all along. my suspicion is that the US is determined to ensure that Russia uses it veto to leave Kosovo in a legal "no-mans land". They can they use their bondsteel base to do whatever they wish with detainees similar to Guantanamo.

Oh come on Kostunica! In 1913 Russia expressed its love for serbs giving them as a present a territory which didnt belong to Russia, nor Serbia. Do you feel hurted now that is happening the contrary? What about albanians feelings since 1913? You cutted their country in half and left them in misery, stealing 50% of their resources and capacities. Kosovo was part of a sovereign country in 1913, it was dismembered and serbs took it as a present from russians. Dont be blind. The balances in the Balkans are to be rebuilt. There are four nations making the balances in the Balkans. 8 millions of serbs, 8 millions of albanians, 8 millions of bulgarians and 8 millions of greeks. The onlys which were denied from a national state, were the albanians, divided among Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, forcing them to feel as unimportant and satellite as the other small nations of montenegrins, slovenians, croatians and muslims. Now it is time to rebuild those balances. So please serbs, don't cry. Just recognize you are an equal nation among the others in the area.

We the Serbian people and all minorities in Kosovo hurt by this are outraged at the greatest possible blunder of American foreign policy.

Serbia will never allow this because it stands for something.

Has anyone here noticed that the only Country continuing to show support for an independent Kosovo is now the USA? Ever since Russia made it VERY CLEAR at the G8 Summit that it would Veto, the EU has suddenly become quiet. The only humiliation going on so far is that of the USA. They are looking pretty stupid right now, but then that's nothing new for them, since they are looking stupid in Iraq too. And for those of you who are actually believe that Kosovo can survive economically if they declare an illegal independence, you real need to educate yourself on world laws. Serbia will not invade Kosovo it does not have to do that. NATO is there to put down the violence but if they fail then according to resolution 1244 both Russia and Serbia may enter Kosovo to protect their interests and the lives of its citizens.

Bush, now you can welcome Republika Srpska to Srbija, no matter what happens in Kosovo.

Canadian,
The Albanians remember well what kind of landlord Serbia used to be. In democratic countries like the US or Canada if a landlord behaves the way like Serbia did then the legal authorities intervene on behalf of the tenants. That is what the NATO did in 1999 on behalf of the Kosovars. In general they do not allow such a landlord to return to his business. Thank God there are rules like this in today's civilized world.

Kate,

I know that nobody has threatened with paramiliatry groups here - that's exactly what I said. Quite an improvement from only a few years ago. I'll take the economic blocade threat anytime,we'll make do somehow. And Kate, I am not even saying wrong or right, but the decision on the status of Kosova has been taken a long time ago - sometime around 1999 - yesterday Bush only spelled it out loud.

Someone said "Good thing is US is not the only superpower" - What planet do you live in exactly? Russia is as crippled as ever, even the wealth that has been generated from gas sales is to be found in the bank accounts of a few Russian oligarchs - London and Swiss bank accounts by the way.
This is just how it works, in 1913 they split Albania and there was nothing the Albanians could really do. You are now finding out what that feels like and to some extent I am actually sorry for you.

"By the time he got to Albania the next morning, he was befuddled when a reporter asked for more detail on the deadline.

"First of all, I don't think I called for a deadline," he said Sunday in his latest European stop. That drew a curious reaction, and Bush picked up on it.

"What exactly did I say? I said, 'Deadline?'" Bush asked.

Someone signaled that he did, in fact, say the word.

"OK, yes, then I meant what I said," Bush said to laughter.

He went on to explain that Kosovo should not continue adrift through endless debate.

"That's what I meant," Bush declared."

http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Jun10/0,4670,WhatapossinaName,00.html

I hope Bush does a better job in Kosovo then Iraq or Afghanistan. You guys sure you want him on your side? I'm actually surprised he didn't declare it "mission accomplished" and then go home because Albania is already independent.

Seriously though, Bush clearly doesn't think about what he says or even remember it. If he keeps mentioning it, then you guys know you have his support. However, if he forgets about it, and he probably will, then it doesn't mean a whole lot. Already he seems to have indicated he's putting it all into the hands of Condi Rice. Time will tell.

Hello people! Today I raised a serbian flag in my front garden in Finsbury park, London, and I declared that from now on my piece of land and house is part of Serbia. Could my albanians friends get in touch with Bush and help me to recognize my new serbian plot among the Britsh institutions? Thank You!

I don't understand the comments by some posters that independence without a UN seat means nothing. That is so UNTRUE, you do not need a UN seat to be independent, UN is a voluntary organization. Noone can force you to become part of it. Remember Switzerland was not a UN member until recently, BUT IT IS AN INDEPENDENT and PROSPEROUS country.
Peace :)

Kujtim, Switzerland is a far, far, far cry from anything Kosovo can ever hope to be.

Marko,

But why ask Bush when you Serbs have a loyer, Putin, who can get everything for you and he is not even charging for his services?
With your Russian connections you don't have to worry. You are all protected. Do you realize how lucky you are?

Marko - the US has already done it! Stealing a beautiful old square in London to protect their embassy. A whole square! Cordoned off with fencing and guards. Large enough to open a Macdonalds BTW.
So nobody could complain about your 'Finserbia'.

There appear to be to many Albans here. And someone responded to a comment I din't write. Alban Castro, born in Costa Ricca. If I take Albanian side sometimes is because I see that Serbia has done a great injustice to these people. Have no other connection with Albanians.

Mike,
An independent Kosovo - even with the lowest espectations - can be better for the Kosovars than being part of Serbia. I just read yesterday that even Canad, one of the Serb leaders of Vojvodina noted that after Kosovo the status of Vojvodina has to be discussed. The Serbs of Vojvodina know well that Serbia is milking Vojvodina economically and they would like to change that one way or other.

Nick wrote:
"As you took back your territory in 1999?"

let´s make it clear Nick, Serbia was bombed for as long as 78 days, and those "allies" destroyed 15 tanks! oh, wow!
quite a lot, right?

in that time, the KLA-terrorists were shown what it means to fight against an army, instead of killing civilians while they are having a coffee at a bar.

I can understand your anger, since you live there, but you don´t have any right to claim this region as yours!
I gave any argument, you never answered on it! that shows how little your legitimacy is worth!

so, instead of boasting of military "success" that was not even made by the Albanians..you should act like a responsible person, and stop spreading those cynical hate-related comments!

"If I take Albanian side sometimes is because I see that Serbia has done a great injustice to these people. Have no other connection with Albanians."

Alban Castro, ( honestly I don´t care whether you are an Albanian or not ) that´s the problem I see in your comments, your comments lack the background-info you should have in order to distinguish who has been the victim of injustice.
I advise you to take a look into a serious history book, and I don´t mean lampoon´s like the one of Mr.Noel Malcolm, I mean real history-books.

it´s every time astonishing on what narrow argumentative basis the commentors are arguing here!

Dear All,

My Albanians and My Serbs,

There are two ways to go one is conflict and fight and the other one is talk and move forward.
My Serb friends,
You started a war/s and you lost the war/s that is where the story ends. Kosovo will not have future without Serbia only if Serbia has no future and if Serbia decides to have no future than all you can be happy is destroy the future of others too. I have to say you have already destroyed enough think of future of Croatians, Bosnians and Albanians and if you intend not to see that than all you can expect is be perceived as supporters of Milosevic legacy or Rankovic legacy. One more thing if Kosovo is the heart and cradle of Serbia how come that there are no Serbs or there are only few Serbs around the churches which at one point of history were churches of all non Ottoman nations- how many times Serbs from Serbia visited their so called cradle of Serbs do they know how people look like or do you think any Albanian will be smarter than Montenegrin and decide to live within Serbia rule. Think your brothers by blood and language think what they think why they did not want to live in Serbia. Stop spending energy on hate and discrimination, Milosevic did not believe that west would bomb after what he was doing in Kosovo but it did happen and it will happen so forget Russia and others believe on your future as citizens of the world. You own an apology to all the neighbors’ and than you move on.
Mala

Now that our serbian fellows kind of understood the message that KS is going to be ind, they are threatening to block KS financially.

However, I can not understand how can one of the poorest country in Europe block anyone, especially if they don't have any control or influence at that place. You can allways waste money on the courts of EU and US to sue countries and companies that invest in KS but you are that will only harm serbian taxpayers as it hard to believe you will win any case considering that these countries are backing the independence of KS. If I am not wrong Serbia has sued many western countreis in many ocassion in the past for bombing Serbia but of course without success.

Regarding Russia we don't have any trade relations with them anyway so if they support our ind or not doesn't make any difference whatsoever.

Finally for you guys claiming that KS can not become ind without Serbia's consent I strongly invite to review ex YU history without mentioning other examples such as Brazil, Israel etc. I remind you Serbia initially didn't accept the ind of none of the ex YU republics declared unilaterally (such as Slovenia, Croatia Bosnia) however, all of the them are independent and more succesfull than Serbia today.

I really to hope though that Serbian people are going to vote in the future for democratic forces as their nationalist leaders such as Millosevic and Kostunica has only brought disaster and poverty to their people.

"By bombing Serbia in 1999, the U.S. has already made a mistake big enough for both this century and the previous one." (Kostunica)

Oh really, well what the heck was Serbia doing in the 90s? Hmm, let me think. Mass killings. Massacres. Rapes. All over the Balkans.

And you still have not apologized! Shame on you.

The United States did the right thing in 1999 and is doing the right thing in 2007.

I am an Albanian and I do not want to live under Serbia's rule. It just happens that 99% of Albanians think the same as I do.

Mala:

that´s the right question you are posing! but as usual the other Albanians, you too, do not dare to say it!

you cleansed the Serbs away, for decades now! and isn´t it a shame to tell the Serbs to stop hatred when it is just the Albanians who are burning down churches and monasteries?

and by the way, if those churches are not serbian ( though built in byzantine-serbian style ), as you wanna make others believe here, why are the Albanians burning them down then?

Joe, I do agree with you on this one. Kosovo is in an incredibly bad situation right now - at levels of sub-Saharan African standards in many respects - but I can't see it getting any worse if it were to take matters into its own hands. Still, it's going to take a lot more than good intentions to turn the region around and erase not just the scars of war brought on by revoked autonomy and war, but by rampant corruption, organized crime, extreme poverty, and illegal drug trafficking, all committed by various Albanian groups - tribes, clans, families, whatever you want to call them. Serbia has all of these too, but it far worse in Kosovo than Serbia. At best, an independent Kosovo will become completely dependent on the goodwill and handouts of the industrialized West, and investors will quickly pull their money out of a sinking ship if they know the region is not improving at all. In short, Albanians are going to have to work their butts off if they really want to make something of the region and disspell nearly all pessimistic predictions of the place.

On the subject of Vojvodina, I said a few days ago that in theory, this is one region that could actually benefit immediatedly seceding with strong tangible results. It's the richest, and most developed region of Serbia. Although it's never going to break away, I'd feel safer placing my money in Novi Sad anyday over Pristina.

"why are there no Serbs living by the churches"?? There are a couple of reasons for that. . . Firstly, Albanians have been cleansing Serbs out for at least 100 yrs. Albanians have a very high birth rate, and well, do the math!! Secondly, Tito encouraged albanians to cross into Kosovo because of his hatred for Serbs. So you have open borders, high birth rate, and intimidation of Serbs. That is why there are less Serbs in Kosovo. And the illegal war that was fought by NATO only made the situation for Serbs worse. All Milosevic did was try and protect what was his and stop terrorism in his country, its a shame that Clinton was such a fool!! Kosovo je Srbija

BURIM - you wouldn't have the problem, Serbia wouldn't have the problem nor would KosovO have the problem if you & the rest of the Albanians didn't kick Serbians out of their homes & off their land. Let's be realistic now.

You want to open the floodgates for debate - look at Jovan & Mike's comment. Then pick yourself up & type something back.

Cheers!

Bob, why not bring up the subject of Clinton's illegal bombing. There is growing evidence, and in opinion of many, that the so called"Humanitarian Intervention", is equal to Bush's "Weapons of Mass Destruction", as reason to invade a sovereign nation. In other words, it was fabricated for the most part. Let's really dig and find the truth about this. Just like these mass graves without bodies keep showing up, maybe Clinton's reasons for dropping bombs on civilains also have real no validity?

Do your own research, and not what CNN and other biased media feeds you. Google is a wealth for many differring facts and views.

I won't comment about this "Great News" for us Albanians.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of B92 for being so fair to this matter by publishing all the news, bad or good for the Serbian People.
Same time I would like to thank you for letting us express ourselves even though sometimes we go to far.
Thank You and keep up the good work.

Jovan,

What do you want me to say? We deserve Kosovo because we are descendants of the Illyrians or because Serbia only annexed it in 1912? Or maybe because data from some of the worlds oldest archives says Albanians were always more numerous than the Serbs in Kosovo?

Do you want me to say that we were here before the Slavs arrived in the 6th and 7th century?

You will never, ever agree to discuss the details behind these arguments and even if you do i am sure that like most Serbs you have been trained to deny, reject, humiliate, which makes most conversations futile.

As i said earlier, i wont answer sometimes because its pointless to argue about something we will never agree on. I will take my position and you take yours and perhaps in the endless heated exchanges i will learn something about you and you may learn something about me and we at least get to know each other. Its not much buts it is a start.

You call the KLA a terrorist organization and use terms such as uneducated, poor, terrorist, backwards and seem to think that i should agree to these terms and shut up. Well, i will not shut up, as long as you use such degrading terms as you should get used to my language because i will keep using is as long as the Serbian posters humiliate my countrymen.

There is no point in talking anything more civilized or intelligent than what was written above. You will refuse to admit the crimes committed against Kosovo Albanians in YOUR name and as long as that is the case do not expect any reasonably intelligent argument. I think it was Walter who said about 500 people were killed in Kosovo.... i mean r u people for real or what? More than 500 people were found in Batajnica alone.

If i feel like arguing i will argue with Matthew and Mike, with whom at least there is a chance for a decent conversation. Although the later seems to be taking a more radical line with each passing day. I will not get into an argument with YOU, Canadien or Princip who are so blinded by your RTS propaganda that you think your country should join Russia in a mighty Asiatic empire.

Do you even know what you are talking about man??? In an age where all European countries dream of joining the EU and NATO and once and for all bring peace and stability to our little corner of the world ours you think you should follow Kostunica and join warmonger Putin in blackmailing Europe and the world.

Kosovo will be independent one way or the other and what Russia thinks is irrelevant. You can not force 2 million people to live in a country they hate (for good reason). I implore you to join us in path of EU and NATO integration for the benefit of both our peoples.

For those of you here that say Kosovo doesn't need Serbian cooperation let's look at the facts.

70% of Kosovos business is with Serbia. So if Serbia decides to close the border it will be back to WFP food aid for the forseeable future because, whatever you might think, the border crossings at General Jankovic(sorry I mean Hani Elezit) and the one for Kukes are absolutely to small to get enough goods into Kosovo.

Also Serbia is the largest country you border and has the greatest economic development so with that border closed to you you would learn a whole new level of poverty. While Serbia would lose a small trading area you would lose 70% of the cruddy economy you currently enjoy. I'm sure you would also enjoy starting to pay off your portion of the Yugoslav Debt ($1.5 billion would be your share) which Serbia is currently making the repayments on for you.

Add to this the fact that Serbia would never recognise a Kosovo Passport and Serbia will get into the EU before you and then block your entry. If Kosovo becomes independent you may as well all emigrate. Maybe your buddy George will let you all into the US or perhaps he will realise he doesn't love you THAT much after all.

Kosovo could never be a Taiwan because it is land locked with bad access routes and a tiny population. Taiwan started life with the Chinese Imperial treasury and most of the brightest and best educated people in China immigrating into it. So no, there is no hope of a bright future through independence and Albania is hardly in a position to help you financially.

Best thing is to work hard at becoming good Serbian citizens.

What the Serbs ought to understand resides in this simple parahraph: «The prosecution is trying to prove that the crimes in Krajina had not been committed spontaneously or accidentally. They were planned and organized by the Krajina leadership in collusion with the Belgrade authorities and the JNA.»

There was a collusion to commit genecide and in Trbic's indictment, it is also clear: «The indictment alleges that Trbić entered an agreement with several others, including Generals Ratko Mladić, Milenko Živanović, Zdravko Tolimir and Radislav Krstić, to kill the able-bodied Bosnian Muslim men from Srebrenica that were captured or surrendered after the fall of Srebrenica on 11 July 1995 and remove the remaining Muslim population of Srebrenica and Žepa from Republika Srpska with the intent to destroy those Muslims.»

Everywhere it is the same modus operandi: women are seperated from men, often, women are sexually assaulted, the men are herded and gunned down, the villages are destroyed.

This is what I have been writing for years so 'ordinary Serbs' would come to this fatale deduction: our nation has ordered and committed crimes and atrocities, and we have no excuses, and therefore, we must ADMIT what has happened, even though we lost many of ours trhough these wars.

To: Joe

You said > The Albanians remember well what kind of landlord Serbia used to be. In democratic countries like the US or Canada if a landlord behaves the way like Serbia did then the legal authorities intervene on behalf of the tenants. That is what the NATO did in 1999 on behalf of the Kosovars.

And I agree with you the authorities in Canada do intervene on behalf of the tenets but and this is a BIG but... the authorities do not steal the land from the land lord and give it to the tenet!

"Kujtim, Switzerland is a far, far, far cry from anything Kosovo can ever hope to be."-Mike
Mike, that's not my point. Whether Kosovo is like Switzerland or not is another issue. Again, I was emphasizing that States DO NOT need to be UN members or have UN recognition to be independent as long as they have recognition by other countries. I haven't read or seen anywhere that independence has to be sanctioned by the UN with a UNSC resolution.

what hapen to kosovars last 100 yare there is no chance to live together with serbia sory .

Who is Bush to give something away that does not belong to him?

Is this "western democracy" to break international law as it fits your agenda?

I don't know why albanians are crying so much about independence because they already have one independent country. What happened to Albania dear albanians? Who is the big satan there? I wonder who you blame for your lives in Albania? As you blame the serbs for everything who is to blame for bankrupt Albania?

No, as the law and every singe international document is on the side of the serbs I see no way forward here for the albanians and their dear americans. Scream all you want for independence. It is not up to you to decide but to the whole people of Serbia.

Let it be a referendum on the territory of Serbia, including Kosovo, regarding future status of Kosovo. If independence get majority vote then goodbye albanians, live in peace. If you dont get majority vote get real and either live in autonomy.

The law is the law. Not a single country in the world would accept the Ahtisaari plan so why should Serbia?

No deal.

Mike,
Yes it is well-known that Volvodina is the richest part of Serbia. Why? Because it was part of a more advanced Hungary. Also Slovenia and Chroatia are so much richer. Why? Because they belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A long time ago - Tito was still around - I visited Slovenia. The Slovens complained that their country is milked by Serbia. I am sure the Chroits filled the same. But now all these "crown colonies" are gone except Vojvodina. It is interesting to see that even Serbs of Vojvodina feel that they are exploited by their brothers of Serbia.

Ratko...

none of the things you wrote are based on facts!

The only winner here is Kostunica,i guess that your romantic "historians" will transform him in the 21 century Arsenije!Sorry but i think this is pitty!

Ratko, you are right on. There are more Albanians in Kosovo today because they have been "Ethnic Cleansing" Serbians for decades. It's like in Detroit, families lived there for generations, and then had to abandon thier homes, with just their possessions, just for safety. That is how Kosovo became overwhelmingly Albanian. Kosovo je Srbija. Uvek ce biti!

Are you people sure Bush didn't think he was in Alabama, instead of Albania? I really don't think he knows where the Balkans are. I mean it. I have lived with this man since 2000, and believe me, he hasn't got a clue.

President Bush is giving it another stab. His support and unusual love of the Albanian people is touching for the Albanians but it stops there.
International law must respect Serbia's sovereign territory. Otherwise, we are looking at the precedent of newly created independent states surfacing everywhere around the World with the blessings of President George W. Bush (junior) and the US State Department.
Negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina must begin in ernest for autonomy for Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija.

Seriously, if you Serbs and pro Serbs are confident of Russia's support, why on earth are you showing your fears here. We Albanians have heard you repeat these claims a zillion times already, we know Russia will veto, as you claim. All of a sudden, you've gathered round your flag and now are reacting like a cornered Milosevic who was about to be taken to the Hague can, with all these threats concerning the health and welfare of the Albanian people in Kosova.

Methinks you Serbs are shouting this stuff of Uncle Boris's protection too much here and you recognize clearly what Russia was and is and will always be about...

And we all know it ain't about any Serb Orthodox brotherhood or pan slav power. lol...

Serbs left Kosovo out of free will, just as much as Serbs are leaving southern Serbia now out of free will. THis has to do because We have a corrupt goverment.

Its not the fault of the Albanians but our own. We lost, too bad. Life goes on.

Firstly, I am from a western country but I cant understand why so many people in the west have attitudes and about serbia like some of those I read here. In London just before the bombing of Serbia started we were being told by the newspapers that 100,000 Albanians were already dead in kosovo, the BBC was telling us on panel discussions that 200,000 Albanians were "lying in shallow graves already".A huge lie. Even now we are being told that that 10,000 Albanians were killed in Kosovo.So how come the UN teams that scoured every corner of Kosovo after the bombing found only around 1500 bodies of mostly unknown ethnic origin?.Where are the 10,000?.The western media also keeps telling us they started bombing to stop the flow of refugees out of kosovo when it was clear tht there was no mass refugee crisis until AFTER the bombing started.Why doesnt the western media tell us that the Germans and Americans were funding and training the KLA well before 1999.Could it be the wests habit of creating a problem somewhere and then blaming it onsomeone else so that they can then themselves show up like the white knight to take over?. If the Albanians in Kosovo really were so "oppressed " before 1999 why had so many immigrated illegally from Albania?Were they forced to go into Kosovo?. Could it be that conditions were actually better for them in Yugoslavia than in Albania?.Why does the western media attempt to cover up the nazi past of states that the serbes supposedly "started wars with"?. Anyone with a basic knowledge of ww2 history knows about the Albanian Skanderberg SS troops, the Croatian Ustasha, the Bosnian muslim SS handschar division. Yet almsost unanimously the western media tries to portray the serbs as the nazis.This holds no water with anyone who knows even a little bit of ww2 history.The new world order people want serbia to completely subject to them, kosovo independence or no kosovo independence I cant see that happening.

Kosovars dont want to live with you any more, and they are 90%. You want to live with them, and you make only 10 % there.
What is this? Is this unilateral love!!!!! That is a land that has been on war for centuries. The last one was just 8 years ago. If serbs would have been more clever, would have contributed economically in the development of the province. And if economy is good than you dont need to fight and other things like the present situations. But as always, balkan history, tells us that balkan states does not cooperate with each other. They all proclaim the same land, same history. So sorry serbs, this was your choice this time. Kosovo will be independent.

To: Florian

You said > Kosovars dont want to live with you any more.

How about the 150,000 Serbs in Kosovo!??? How can you not want to live with them? This is why you shall never get independence. Serbia, Russia and the LAW guarantees that!

To: Lily

If you are so confident of your independence and the power of the USA why are you not idendpent yet? You have been going on about independence for the past 8 years and still no independence. All it takes to keep you going is a few words from America and buy into it. Have you not noticed how you and the rest of the Albanians are being played day after day, month after month, and probably will be year after year. Its time to stops this nonsense and start real talks to resolve this issue. Otherwise you people are participating in a mean American game that has no end.

Florian,

You are right. Serbia has tried nothing for years to settle its dispute with the Albanians from Kosovo. Milosevic tried in 1989 and we all know what happened. Now, that the rupture is totale, Kostunica and Tadic wat to build new bridges of understand, and it is impossible. Too little, too late.

As for Floyd, revisionnism is a dangerous attitude. If many corpses are missing, it's for the simple reason that they were mostly tranferred to Serbia who they have been buried in mass graves. Many have also been burned to ashes, or disposed in secret locations... Don' worry, time will uncover what a few have tried to hide!

Dear Guiseppe Franceschini,

you are very correct talking about decisions of world powers on 1913, but non of Serbs can consider it since the years, almost 1 century. Troubles between Serbs and Albanians started since that time (even before) and all decision making powers of our time knows that. Now is time for some corrections and international justice.

To Serbian posters and supporters,
Bush is not the only one who is supporting Kosovo independence issue. There are whole USA state Dept, UN, EU, NATO and many democratic countries worldwide. It is non sence to blaim one person or state. This is natural political process and it has to be completed with Kosovo independence. Difficulties are part of this process as well, but they will be managed in one or another way...
Nobody is giving land of somebody to somebody else. At the end of this process Kosovo will be ownership of Kosovars - 2 milion people who loves it, cares about it, returned to it at most difficult times, reconstructed it and will develop it; to a Kosovars who doesn't treat it as a piece of land but as homeland...
Good luck Kosovo on your own way...

Florien - you've hit the nail on the head as to why the regoion seems to be up in flames every 50 years or so. it'll take a sea change in attitudes by politicians of all ethnic groups to improve relations and living standards in the future. let's hope they all come to their senses.

P.S. I think Kosovo will ony gain independence if it is partitioned.

Dear lloyd: Which is the exact amount of people killed you need to see before you are convinced one nation deserves to be liberated from the rule of another nation which hates them and which will do anything to deport them all?

Dear Mark, you fail to understand the point I make which is that west had no justification at all for their attack on serbia despite the provocations of the KLA urged on by the west so they had to invent stories of genocide and mass graves in order to sell their bombing to an ignorant public. They still have no evidence and I doubt they ever will although they know their invented stories of bodies trucked back to serbia and disposed of or cremated will be gladly swallowed by many even though never proved. The serbs were entirely justified in confronting the KLA. The west wanted to see lots of dead albanians to give them an excuse to bomb serbia, when there were none apart from KLA, the west had to start lying becaus they had been planning to bomb serbia for a long time because serbia hadnt been following the world bank, IMF, NWO agenda and hadnt been selling off all their state assets like other more obedient countries also the west was indirectly trying to show Russia their strength indirectly through attacking serbia and trying to show that Russia could do nothing, in any case the Russians arent stupid and probably knew as well as well as anyone that serbs and albanians couldnt live togther so they werent to bothered about serbs being forced to leave kosovo.Ever since Milosevic gave the kosovo albanians autonomy and their own flag it was likely inevitable .Do the albanians seriously believe that if they get independence that they will have acces to kosovo's wealth which the west are eager to control?.The west has just been using the albanians even though Im sure they mistrust them

To: Canadien,

Let’s be reasonable people and not fall into extremism. I don't thing that the only reason why Serbia is not giving up Kosovo is about those 150.000 Serbs living there. I think is more than that.

We had enough wars in the Balkans. And as for me if Kosovo independent will not guarantee Serb citizens, living there, a peaceful and prosperous life it better stays with the actual status, cause it is obvious it cannot live under Serbia anymore. The future of Balkans is in the EU and clean ethnic states do not help in this regard.

We in Balkans have always thought that we are the center of the world (as Greece, an EU member state still does and will do forever!!! Poor them). The truth is that we are not the center of the world and will never be. So in this regard don’t count on Russia cause for another concession in some other part of the world will sell you out. There is no friendship nowadays, it is just a matter of economical interests. I just think that this time Serbia is on the wrong side.

To All:

Peace neighbours, it is worthless fighting. We can achieve more by cooperating.