Serbian Diplomatic Attack

Human Rights against Independence

Participants in this round of negotiations claim not too much is done and the only real result is "The New York Declaration" where all sides promised to avoid threats and violence during this process. Also the next meeting is arranged for October 14 in Brussels. But many experts and ordinary people ask themselves - is there a real point of these meetings if U.S. officials already promised to accept Kosovo independence and Kosovo Albanians repeated just few days ago they will proclaim independence just after negotiations are finished (after December 10th)?


By MARKO ANDREJIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA


Negotiations on the final status of Serbian province Kosovo continued on September 28 in New York, U.S.A. For the first time, after months of the process, two sides - Serbian and Kosovo Albanians had direct negotiations, sitting in the same room and watching each others. This dialogue was supervised by intermediary representatives of Contact Group for Kosovo: Alexandar Bozan Harchenko (Russia), Frenk Visner (U.S.A.) and Wolfgang Ischinger (European Union).

Participants in this round of negotiation claim not too much is done and the only real result is "The New York Declaration" where all sides promised to avoid any threats or violence during this process. Also the next meeting is arranged for October 14 in Brussels. But many experts and ordinary people ask themselves - is there a real point of these meetings if U.S. officials already promised to accept Kosovo independence and Kosovo Albanians repeated just few days ago they will proclaim independence just after negotiations are finished (after December 10th)? Is this a process of negotiation or Serbian side goes just to hear the final judgment?

Anyway, Serbian politicians use every chance, and it is specially obvious in the last few weeks, to present their solution for solving the conflict. President Tadic, prime minister Kostunica, ministers of Foreign Affairs and for Kosovo and Metohija, Vuk Jeremic and Slobodan Samardzic explained Serbia can offer a really wide autonomy and almost every kind of agreement but Serbia can not give up her souveregnity and can not give 15% of its legal territory. Intensive diplomatic activities seems to bring some results because there are many "frozen conflicts" around the world, many wishes for separating of some provinces and territories. The last one is Belgian problem where the government could not be established because of disagreement between Flamans and Walons.

Russian representatives in Security Council UN stopped the proposal of Marti Ahtisaari, who was in charge to find the way and for solving Kosovo problem (which almost gives independence to the province), and so the Contact Group decided to make intermediary group and try to help in dialogue and finding the real and long-lasting solution. Some world centres of power, United States as first, just do not want to accept the fact that Serbs in Kosovo are living in ghetto, they are tortured and been killing even today, 8 years after NATO bombing that should "bring something better" - just asking to whom? The children can not go to school without army forces, people can not work in fields, there is no real law and economic system in Kosovo, no any rights for Serbian citizen, it is dangerous to talk Serbian in the street! Only few hundreds of people came back to Kosovo after 1999 and thousands have gone to the other parts of Serbia running away from Albanian "laws". Is this a real picture and the way of living that the world wants to support?

UNMIK forces and UN administratives are not able to make normal society in south province of Serbia. The last NATO training announced to take place in Croatia, with very interesting names and associations, shows that everyone knows what is the situation in Kosovo and what else could happen. Maybe that is the reason for some Serbian parties and for the big part of nation to be against Serbia as a member of NATO.

Diplomatic actions are strong and Serbia seems to get some respect in international relations talking about European and Euro-Atlantic integrations. Visa procedure in EU becomes easier since 2008, some treaties are signed, some things are done. Is it enough and is it the right way - the next answer will be given maybe after October 14.


(Published: 10.10.2007.)

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