Tourism issues to be discussed at first Caucasus Economy Forum
July 24, 2010 – 12:41 AMT 07:41 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –
RF presidential plenipotentiary in North Caucasian Federal District
Alexander Khloponin is planning to hold the first Caucasus Economy
Forum on international tourism in 2011.
Development of ski and health resorts, tourist inflow increase issues
will be on forum agenda.
From: A. Papazian
SCPEC initiates administrative proceedings against 8 enterprises
July 24, 2010 – 12:45 AMT 07:45 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –
As a result of inspections carried out by the RA State Committee for
the Protection of Economic Competition (SCPEC), the Committee revealed
facts of possible unfair competition and violation of the RA Law on
Protection of Economic Competition in shops of Yerevan and Armenia’s
regions.
Specifically, cases of usage of trademarks and brands of world known
companies (Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Opel and ZILLI) on napkins were
revealed. Besides, labels of eggs produced by Arax Poultry Farm CJSC
contained SOUTH AFRICA 2010 brand belonging to FIFA.
In addition, possible violation of the Law on Protection of Economic
Competition served as a ground for suspecting Ideal chain of shops,
which uses doubtful materials and methods for their presentation as
part of the intranet advertisement action.
The Committee also revealed cases of sale of ice-cream by ARMSWEET and
Yerevan Kat companies without mentioning production time and
expiration date.
Several shops of Vagharshapat were selling soft drinks, while their
composition, storage condition, production time and expiration date
were not mentioned on bottles.
During the July 23 extraordinary sitting, SCPEC decided to initiate
administrative proceedings against eight enterprises.
From: A. Papazian
Mher Shahgeldyan: Kosovo verdict gave de jure confirmation of
Karabakh’s de facto situation
July 24, 2010 – 13:29 AMT 08:29 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –
Hague court verdict on Kosovo independence is a moral and juridical
assessment of the situation which may have an influence on Karabakh
conflict settlement, according to Orinats Yerkir deputy chairman Mher
Shahgeldyan.
As he told a news conference in Yerevan, Kosovo precedent consolidates
juridical and diplomatic position of Armenian side in peace talks for
Karabakh conflict settlement. `The ICJ ruling is legitimate and
acceptable to international community. Kosovo verdict gives de jure
confirmation of de facto situation with Karabakh, as well as other
conflict zones,’ Orinats Yerkir deputy chairman concluded.
From: A. Papazian
Calcutta Armenian College Current Affairs
[ 2010/07/24 | 12:31 ]
Feature Stories society
Dear Readers,
This following statement by me is not disputing or commenting on the
many opinions of well wishers, old students, parents, teachers and
others who have shown their deep concern over the recent events in the
Armenian College & Philanthropic Academy in Kolkata. The reader
must understand how this noble Institution has come to this pass. It
has been a gradual process. Personally, I am deeply saddened and pray
that sanity will return.
You must be made aware that between Rev. Oshagan Gulgulian and Rev
Koren Hovanessian all Christian teachers were dismissed from the ACPA
and students were not allowed to speak with a teachers out of class.
Cameras were installed everywhere. I earnestly hope there will be
action by His Holiness who is responsible for the Management of the
ACPA. Unfortunately, He was unaware of Rev. Gulgulian’s management
skills and may be had thought that with a position of such high
responsibility Fr. Khoren Hovanessian would prove himself worthy as he
was given a second chance as clergy.
The deterioration has been a gradual process and it appears one of the
reasons, to save money. The cuts were in the provision of clothes,
basic necessities and nutrition. Large amounts were spent in
unnecessary renovations and repairs. If the menus for the students
were wholesome why did the previous Manager and the present one not
partake of the fare. Their meals are from expensive restaurants.
In India and all civilized countries corporal punishment is prohibited
by law. Mental torture, fear, disgrace, humiliation and senseless
tasks like writing texts thousands of times. Making children stand
outdoors under the hot sun are also unacceptable. All these measures
and actions by the Managers who were too elated by their own egos.
School discipline is the prime responsibility of the Principal of the
school. Unfortunately he is only a figure head and is not given the
opportunity to carry out his duties.
In defence of the two Managers it can be said that they were unaware
of the implications of their actions as Education and Child’s
Psychology is not their forte or else they would not have used
unacceptable measures to keep discipline. Discipline is gained by
mutual respect. Not all children are the same. Each has his or her
personality and problems that need attention. The students in the ACPA
are thousands of miles away from their parents and homes (that is why
I introduced children going home every three years during the school
summer vacation at the expense of the Institution).
Both the Managers have depleted the corpus in the Institution on
anything except the advancement of Education. I had left a corpus of
26 ½ crores of rupees which is roughly $ 5777777 which I had built up
for the ACPA and Davidian Girls School. It would be embarrassing for
the Managers and Etchmiadzin if details are given.
May be some repetition of history is needed. When the ACPA were facing
closure in 1955 all the students were farmed out to various schools in
Kolkata. 8 were sent to my school Moir Hall School I did not take any
admission, session or tuition fees for the students. They studied in
my school for 3-4 years. The teaching staff in the ACPA attended the
Institution only to sign the Attendance Register and leave as there
were no students to teach. The Class IV staff were encouraged to
accept severance pay but they did not fall to the prey as they knew
they would have difficulty in getting employment.
Steps had to be taken to re-open the school. I made it my
responsibility to challenge the School Committee for their action when
I discovered that the Committee had changed Clause 28 of the School
Constitution giving them the right to sell property belonging to the
ACPA. The previous Clause restricted such action. Surprisingly, this
was the only change in the rules and it was done and known only to the
8 members on the Committee. The 2 Wardens on the Church Committee were
on the School Committee and that is how I came to know of the action
to be taken. Immediate remedy had to found. 3 members of the Armenian
Community and myself gate-crashed the school Committee meeting and
stopped the ratification of their plan. I had also had an injunction
served on the meeting. The meeting though held was void as the
proposed plan for the property was unacceptable. A suit in the High
Court of Calcutta followed to save the ACPA. The only recourse was to
put the management in safe hands and to stop the property from
changing hands.
Surely every Armenian has faith and trust in the Holy See of
Etchmiadzin with Karekin I of blessed memory. A highly qualified
person. An Oxford student and one who spoke many languages. There were
many discourses with His Holiness in Armenia, London and Paris to take
over the management of ACPA. Many matters had to be settled and His
Holiness realized the necessity for the ACPA to be safe and agreed to
take over the management. Accordingly the Petition in the Calcutta
High Court was filed. The Chairman of the School Committee
(opposition) did not contest the action of the hand over to His
Holiness Karekin I of blessed memory. This court action and others
leading to it cost me personally Rs. 6 lakhs. In foreign money it may
not be a large amount but in India can be one’s life savings. I
thanked God for his mercy and the school was reopened, but not without
hic-cups!
For those of you readers who were unaware about the condition of the
ACPA when it was closed to education the following will be harrowing
the school Committee had permitted some 15 – 20 senior Armenian boys
ages ranging from 20 – 25 to take residence in the ACPA. They were
being supported financially by the Armenian Church Committee. These
old students were at a loose end and their activities both in the
Institution and outside were ruining their lives. It took time and
reasoning with the Armenian Church Committee that instead of
supporting them forever and aye; each one to get a lump sum so that
arrangements could be made for their future. This was done and each of
them was rehabilitated in a country abroad. Each was given sufficient
finance in hand to manage for some months. This exercise took a great
deal of planning and field work but it was accomplished. I became very
unpopular at the time for my action as these old boys were playing
Rugby for the Armenian Team. The benefits were realized when these
young men settled down in the various countries. Some continued
studies but all lived useful and purposeful lives. They have
appreciated the steps which were taken.
This epistle is being related to show that anyone in a position of
responsibility must try to help young people in their education and
prepare them for their adult hood. Not to thwart them with punitive
actions and curtail the education process.
When the ACPA was opened His Holiness Karekin I of blessed memory
requested me to manage the Institution and I was appointed officially.
I took on the duty in an Honorary capacity and later on persuaded
Michael Stephen who was the caretaker of St. Mary’s Church in Chennai
to become the Asst. Manager to learn the work. He was given quarters
in the College premises.
I am an educationist I have my own school since 1957 which is still
functioning. I administrate and teach. I have taught in reputable
schools. Have been an overseas Examiner for the Senior Cambridge
Examinations in Calcutta for 25 years. Examiner for several local
exams. Also for the Calcutta University and Teachers Training Courses.
Served as a member on the La Martiniere School Board for several
years. I did not have a problem with the management as for many years,
my husband and I ran the Carlton Hotel alongside the Oberoi Grand
Hotel. Dealing with the labour problems and the catering was no new
avenue for me. I never interfered with the education process in the
ACPA as there was an able Principal MA in English Honours and M. Ed,
LLb. I only gave advice when approached.
The school was flourishing with 146 students the largest number to date.
When Kareken I of blessed memory expired Karekin II was appointed and
there was a change in the policy of the management. Rev. Oshagan
Gulgulian was appointed Manager. A young enthusiastic priest but
unfortunately no background of Education management. Even in his
tenure there were many problems specially with the teaching staff whom
he showed little respect and dismissed many on frivolous grounds. His
activities are universally known and not my prerogative to enumerate
them. Eventually His Holiness Karekin II had to remove him, only to
send him back after 2 years during which time he served in Cologne in
Germany. During his tenure in the ACPA Decaon Bhagumian was appointed
as the Administrator whose attitude was aggressive and showed little
respect to anyone. He was also recalled and ordained a priest. In his
place another clergy was appointed.
Eventually His Holiness Karekin II was compelled to recall Rev.
Oshagan Gulgulian and was replaced by Rev. Khoren Hovanessian. Those
who keep a close match on our clergy will know that he had been
defrocked but forgiven and then given the responsibility to prove his
worth as Manager of the ACPA.
One does not understand the rationale that a school which now has
barely 80 students has a Principal, Manager and Administrator. All
these posts are very highly paid. The Manager and Administrator have
luxurious apartments and equally luxurious life styles. For instance
the Managers quarters were made sound proof and an imported commode
(cost 1 ½ lakhs) installed all of which cost 25 lakhs was this
expenditure necessary for the enhancement of education?
Letters, statements and opinions from well wishers, old students and
others are storming the website in response to the recent happenings
in the ACPA most of the comments are justified and I personally am
very saddened at the way young lives are being suppressed by fear. The
slightest mischief attracts the ultimate punishment of deportation.
Severance from education, stress and trauma. The students have taken
the regular daily doses of corporal punishment, humiliation and suffer
from fear psychoses as part of their education. But, there must come a
time when saturation point is reached and what was it? Some boys
pleading with the Manager for a lad who has only a few months left for
his final examination in Class XII and that too in a very reputable
school La Martineire for Boys. Such a pity as he is intelligent and
keen on his studies. How can a priest not respond to a plea of mercy
when he is practicing the teaching of Jesus Christ our Saviour who
said `I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for
the sheep’. The priest should protect the children as if they are
`his’ sheep.
For someone who has been entrusted as the post of Manager – can he not
sort out whatever problems arise? What was the necessity for 30
policemen to be called and that from Special Branch and were in the
college for 6 hours and not 30 minutes has been reported. Police
intervention is acquired when there is a crime committed or a breach
of peace, which cannot be contained. Now, the students have yet
another fear; the police. Those of you who are parents, Doctors and
educationists, you will well understand the long term implications on
a child’s mind which can even haunt them in adulthood. This action of
calling in the police must have been advised by the Chief Accountant
A. K. Ghosh. His influence on the Managers has made them make many
wrong decisions. His advice of deliberately prolonging court cases
costing the college a pretty penny. He has had his salary raised to an
exorbitant amount and has always had a life style far beyond his
means. Not to mention the properties he has constructed for himself.
The students for once cried out for help and those who heard them did
their best to avert drastic consequences. But the situation has not
eased as Fr. Khoren was determined to send the lad back to Armenia.
Somehow Father has to be councelled not to go to the extreme and show
mercy and understanding and to go by the guidelines in Education. To
allow the Principal of the school to deal with the discipline which
comes under his duties as the head of the Institution.
The atmosphere in the college should be a happy and free of tension and fear.
Sonia John
Ex Hony. Manager, ACPA, Kolkata.
Ex-Chairman, Armenian Church Committee, Kolkata.
From: A. Papazian
RA Foreign Ministry: Azerbaijan cultivates image of criminal with
bloodstained axe
July 23, 2010 – 17:53 AMT 12:53 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –
By awarding National Hero title to the perpetrator of June 18-19
subversive act in NKR, Azerbaijan is cultivating an image of a
criminal with a bloodstained axe, deputy RA Foreign Minister Shavarsh
Kocharyan stated.
`The organizers of subversive act are giving out awards for successful
execution of their orders. Such a policy suggests that criminals,
rather than soldiers are brought up in Azerbaijan. However, repeated
hostile statements do nothing more than prove Azerbaijan’s weakness. A
party, meaning to initiate an attack, actually attacks instead of
resorting to secret actions,’ Shavarsh Kocharyan stressed, noting that
Baku’s persisting with current policy will inflict new problems on
Azerbaijan.
From: A. Papazian
RA Prime Minister to undergo medical examination in European center
July 24, 2010 – 12:42 AMT 07:42 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan will undergo a medical
examination in a European center, as per his doctor’s advice.
The examination will allow him to get down to implementation of
programs envisaged for 2010 at full fling, Sargsyan said in an
interview to a local TV company.
As for his summer vacation, Tigran Sargsyan has not considered this
issue yet. However, in contrast to 2009, when the government staff had
to work without long-term vacations, this year the government members
will have the opportunity to take vacations.
From: A. Papazian
rair Simonyan is half point behind leader of international chess
tournament in Warsaw
July 24, 2010 – 15:13 AMT 10:13 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –
Armenia’s GM Hrair Simonyan scored 4.5 points out of six possible at
the Miguel Najdorf Memorial held in Warsaw, Poland. Simonyan is only
half a point behind leader Julian Radulski (Bulgaria).
Meanwhile, Armenia’s GM Hrant Melkumyan was defeated in the fourth
round of an international chess tournament in Balager, Spain. Thus,
Melkumyan scored three points and is one point behind the tournament
leaders. GM Zaven Andriasyan scored 2.5 points, armchess.am reported.
From: A. Papazian
Turkish court orders 102 people charged with plotting to overthrow
government to be arrested
July 24, 2010 – 15:00 AMT 10:00 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –
A Turkish court has ordered 102 people charged with plotting to
overthrow the government to be arrested and held in jail until their
trial, the state news agency says.
The suspects were among 196 people indicted this week. Some were
detained in February and then released. They include three retired
military commanders. They are to be jailed pending their 16 December
trial. The remaining 94 will remain free until their trial. All are
accused of involvement in an alleged conspiracy to create chaos and
pave the way for a military takeover.
Among the 102 people are retired Gen Dogan Cetin, former commander of
Turkey’s first army, former navy chief Adm Ozden Ornek and former air
force commander Gen Halil Ibrahim Flirtina.
The indictment says the alleged conspiracy was drawn up in 2003 at the
Istanbul base of the Turkish First Army shortly after the governing
AKP party came to power. The alleged plot – codenamed Operation
Sledgehammer – reportedly involved plans to bomb mosques and provoke
tensions with Greece, in order to spark political chaos and justify a
military takeover.
The case is the latest in a series involving alleged plots against the
Islamist-rooted government by the military and secular establishment,
BBC News reported.
From: A. Papazian
NKR Foreign Ministry: Artsakh people’s right to decide on own fate
will be recognized by international community
July 24, 2010 – 13:32 AMT 08:32 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –
International Court of Justice ruling on Kosovo independence legally
confirmed that people’s right to self-determination does not violate
norms and principles of international law, including territorial
integrity principle, Artsakh Foreign Ministry statement said.
`The resolution is very important both from political and moral
viewpoint, its precedent- related significance not to be limited by
Kosovo instance. Having fulfilled its right to formation of
independent state, Artsakh people had to resist Azeri military
aggression, leaving thousands of victims and refugees. These actions
have yet to be assessed by international community,’ the statement
emphasized.
While confronting Baku’s aggressive policy, Karabakh people continue
with formation of a democratic state, integral to South Caucasus
regional security system.
`Artsakh people’s right to decide on its own fate will undoubtedly be
recognized by international community. This right was fulfilled in
accordance with basic norms of international law,’ the statement
concluded.
On 22 July, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory
opinion on Kosovo’s declaration of independence. The ICJ ruled that a
declaration of independence does not violate any UN resolution or
international law.
From: A. Papazian
After UN court ruling, fears of global separatism
AP
Friday, July 23, 2010
Andrej Cukic A man passes by television screens showing a live
broadcast from the International Court of Justice in the Hague,
Netherlands, the United Nations’ highest court, at a house appliances
store in the Serb dominated town of Kosovska-Mitrovica, some 50
kilometers (30 miles) northwest of Pristina, Kosovo, Thursday, July
22, 2010. Kosovo won a major victory on the world stage Thursday as
the United Nations’ highest court said its 2008 declaration of
independence from Serbia was legal. (AP Photo/Andrej Cukic)
Serbia and Kosovo are dispatching competing armies of lobbyists to
governments that so far have wavered on recognizing the breakaway
province.
Serbia, which considers Kosovo the cradle of its statehood and
religion, fears Thursday’s ruling by the top U.N. court backing the
legality of the 2008 declaration of independence could lead to a wave
of new recognitions.
Its best hope for preventing Kosovo admission to the United Nations
may be vetoes by China and Russia which both have their own restive
regions _ a reflection of concerns in some countries that separatists
will be emboldened by the development.
The U.S. and many in the West insist Kosovo’s statehood is a special
case because it is the result of a brutal Serbian ethnic cleansing
campaign against Albanian separatists that led to an international
administration in 1999, when NATO ejected Serb forces after a brief
aerial war.
“We call on those states, who have not yet done so, to recognize
Kosovo,” U.S. State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley on said on
Thursday. “Now is the time for them, for Kosovo and Serbia, to put
aside their differences and move forward.”
Some experts say there’s no practical way to prevent other
independence-minded regions from drawing inspiration from the Kosovo
ruling.
“The West wants to say that this case has no precedential importance,
but that’s kind of a contortionist logic,” said Dana Allin at the
International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think
tank. “You can say that, but whether you can enforce it is hard to
say.”
In its nonbinding decision announced Thursday, the top U.N. court said
it did not rule on the legality of Kosovo’s statehood, but only on its
declaration of independence.
Regions around the world where separatists may be energized by
Kosovo’s secession include Spain’s Basque country and Catalonia,
Scotland, Italy’s ethnic German-populated Alto Adige, and parts of
Romania and Slovakia populated by restive Hungarian minorities.
South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which have declared independence from
Georgia, will also be encouraged by the ruling that states that such
unilateral declarations of independence are not illegal under
international law. Nearby, Armenian separatists in Azerbaijan’s
Nagorno-Karabah region may seek to legitimize their secession dating
back to the early 1990s.
In the Middle East, Kurdish politicians in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish
region have also said they will carefully study the ICJ decision.
Although the U.S. has insisted on keeping Iraq’s territorial integrity
since the 2003 invasion, the Kurds have repeatedly pointed out that
they have been victims of Iraqi aggression under a variety of regimes
since the 1930s.
The ruling could also have far-reaching effects on Indonesia, where at
least two provinces, Aceh and West Papua, are seeking independence.
So far, only 69 countries of the 192 in the United Nations General
Assembly, including the U.S. and most of EU states, have recognized
Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia in February 2008.
But a number of important countries, aside from China and Russia, have
refused to do so, including India, Brazil, Israel, Egypt, Indonesia,
and South Africa.
For Kosovo to obtain U.N. membership, it needs a two-third majority in
the General Assembly, plus the approval by all five permanent members
of the U.N. Security Council _ the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and
France.
“Already this weekend, special envoys will be dispatched to 55
countries throughout the world with my letter for the presidents of
states or governments,” Serbian President Boris Tadic said Friday.
“Many countries will be under pressure to recognize Kosovo before the
U.N. General Assembly in September,” he said. “Serbia will do its
utmost so that there are the least possible such recognitions.”
Kosovo Foreign Minister Skender Hyseni said he will send requests to
121 countries around the world asking for formal recognition of
Kosovo’s independence.
“The opinion of the court has created an entirely new context, and in
line with this I have already started a new campaign today to animate
the countries that have not recognized Kosovo yet,” Hyseni told the
Associated Press.
He said he will travel to the U.S. over the weekend for some 60
meetings with representatives of different nations in an attempt to
get more recognitions ahead of the General Assembly.
But Serbia’s Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic claimed Friday that many
countries around the world “are worried about the possible
misinterpretation” of the World Court ruling.
“It’s a very dangerous precedent,” Jeremic said. “Pandora’s Box has
been opened, and it must be closed before something flies out of it.”
British Foreign Secretary William Hague, however, urged more countries
to recognize Kosovo.
“Kosovo has been functioning as an independent State for two and a
half years,” he said in a statement. “I encourage other states that
have not so far recognized Kosovo now to do so. Kosovo is a unique
case and does not set a precedent.”
The EU countries that have not recognized Kosovo are Spain, Greece,
Slovakia, Cyprus and Romania _ most grappling with separatism issues.
Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said his country
“respected” the U.N. court’s ruling. But, he did not say whether Spain
_ which is faced with Catalan and Basque separatist movements _ will
now recognize Kosovo’s independence.
Greece and Slovakia said the court’s ruling won’t make them change their minds.
Cyprus’ foreign ministry said it remained firm in backing Serbia,
reaffirming its “unwavering position to respect the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Serbia, which includes Kosovo.”
Romania has not yet officially reacted on the ruling, but the leader
of its restive ethnic Hungarians, Laszlo Tokes, said they should now
follow the Catalan model and hit the streets to demand more autonomy.
“Kosovo gained independence, couldn’t we achieve autonomy?” he said.
Sergei Bagpash, the president of Georgia’s separatist Abkhazia region,
also applauded the Kosovo ruling.
“I think the decision itself will have a great influence on the
efforts we are making,” Bagpash told The Associated Press. “There can
be no double standards.”
Russia recognized the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
as independent states after the 2008 Russian-Georgian war and has kept
troops there.
In Bosnia, which was divided after the bloody ethnic war in the 1990s
into two entities _ a Bosniak-Croat and a Serb one _ the Bosnian Serb
Prime Minister Milorad Dodik said the ruling “represents a good road
sign for our future,” referring to the region’s longtime desire to
split from Bosnia.
“It’s inescapable that this ruling could have implications for other
territories and other peoples, but how this will play out remains to
be seen,” said Tim Judah, a London-based Balkan analyst and author.
“It’s too early to say because the court ruled on a very narrow
question, which was simply whether Kosovo’s declaration was legal or
not,” Judah said.
___
Associated Press writers Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Nebi Qena in
Pristina, Slobodan Lekic in Brussels, Sylvia Hui in London, Alison
Mutler in Bucharest and Christopher Toothaker in Caracas contributed
to this report.
Story Discussion By DUSAN STOJANOVIC | Posted: Friday, July 23, 2010
10:55 am | No Comments Posted
Font Size: Default font size Larger font size Share
Andrej Cukic A man passes by television screens showing a live
broadcast from the International Court of Justice in the Hague,
Netherlands, the United Nations’ highest court, at a house appliances
store in the Serb dominated town of Kosovska-Mitrovica, some 50
kilometers (30 miles) northwest of Pristina, Kosovo, Thursday, July
22, 2010. Kosovo won a major victory on the world stage Thursday as
the United Nations’ highest court said its 2008 declaration of
independence from Serbia was legal. (AP Photo/Andrej Cukic)
Serbia and Kosovo are dispatching competing armies of lobbyists to
governments that so far have wavered on recognizing the breakaway
province.
Serbia, which considers Kosovo the cradle of its statehood and
religion, fears Thursday’s ruling by the top U.N. court backing the
legality of the 2008 declaration of independence could lead to a wave
of new recognitions.
Its best hope for preventing Kosovo admission to the United Nations
may be vetoes by China and Russia which both have their own restive
regions _ a reflection of concerns in some countries that separatists
will be emboldened by the development.
The U.S. and many in the West insist Kosovo’s statehood is a special
case because it is the result of a brutal Serbian ethnic cleansing
campaign against Albanian separatists that led to an international
administration in 1999, when NATO ejected Serb forces after a brief
aerial war.
“We call on those states, who have not yet done so, to recognize
Kosovo,” U.S. State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley on said on
Thursday. “Now is the time for them, for Kosovo and Serbia, to put
aside their differences and move forward.”
Some experts say there’s no practical way to prevent other
independence-minded regions from drawing inspiration from the Kosovo
ruling.
“The West wants to say that this case has no precedential importance,
but that’s kind of a contortionist logic,” said Dana Allin at the
International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think
tank. “You can say that, but whether you can enforce it is hard to
say.”
In its nonbinding decision announced Thursday, the top U.N. court said
it did not rule on the legality of Kosovo’s statehood, but only on its
declaration of independence.
Regions around the world where separatists may be energized by
Kosovo’s secession include Spain’s Basque country and Catalonia,
Scotland, Italy’s ethnic German-populated Alto Adige, and parts of
Romania and Slovakia populated by restive Hungarian minorities.
South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which have declared independence from
Georgia, will also be encouraged by the ruling that states that such
unilateral declarations of independence are not illegal under
international law. Nearby, Armenian separatists in Azerbaijan’s
Nagorno-Karabah region may seek to legitimize their secession dating
back to the early 1990s.
In the Middle East, Kurdish politicians in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish
region have also said they will carefully study the ICJ decision.
Although the U.S. has insisted on keeping Iraq’s territorial integrity
since the 2003 invasion, the Kurds have repeatedly pointed out that
they have been victims of Iraqi aggression under a variety of regimes
since the 1930s.
The ruling could also have far-reaching effects on Indonesia, where at
least two provinces, Aceh and West Papua, are seeking independence.
So far, only 69 countries of the 192 in the United Nations General
Assembly, including the U.S. and most of EU states, have recognized
Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia in February 2008.
But a number of important countries, aside from China and Russia, have
refused to do so, including India, Brazil, Israel, Egypt, Indonesia,
and South Africa.
For Kosovo to obtain U.N. membership, it needs a two-third majority in
the General Assembly, plus the approval by all five permanent members
of the U.N. Security Council _ the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and
France.
“Already this weekend, special envoys will be dispatched to 55
countries throughout the world with my letter for the presidents of
states or governments,” Serbian President Boris Tadic said Friday.
“Many countries will be under pressure to recognize Kosovo before the
U.N. General Assembly in September,” he said. “Serbia will do its
utmost so that there are the least possible such recognitions.”
Kosovo Foreign Minister Skender Hyseni said he will send requests to
121 countries around the world asking for formal recognition of
Kosovo’s independence.
“The opinion of the court has created an entirely new context, and in
line with this I have already started a new campaign today to animate
the countries that have not recognized Kosovo yet,” Hyseni told the
Associated Press.
He said he will travel to the U.S. over the weekend for some 60
meetings with representatives of different nations in an attempt to
get more recognitions ahead of the General Assembly.
But Serbia’s Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic claimed Friday that many
countries around the world “are worried about the possible
misinterpretation” of the World Court ruling.
“It’s a very dangerous precedent,” Jeremic said. “Pandora’s Box has
been opened, and it must be closed before something flies out of it.”
British Foreign Secretary William Hague, however, urged more countries
to recognize Kosovo.
“Kosovo has been functioning as an independent State for two and a
half years,” he said in a statement. “I encourage other states that
have not so far recognized Kosovo now to do so. Kosovo is a unique
case and does not set a precedent.”
The EU countries that have not recognized Kosovo are Spain, Greece,
Slovakia, Cyprus and Romania _ most grappling with separatism issues.
Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said his country
“respected” the U.N. court’s ruling. But, he did not say whether Spain
_ which is faced with Catalan and Basque separatist movements _ will
now recognize Kosovo’s independence.
Greece and Slovakia said the court’s ruling won’t make them change their minds.
Cyprus’ foreign ministry said it remained firm in backing Serbia,
reaffirming its “unwavering position to respect the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Serbia, which includes Kosovo.”
Romania has not yet officially reacted on the ruling, but the leader
of its restive ethnic Hungarians, Laszlo Tokes, said they should now
follow the Catalan model and hit the streets to demand more autonomy.
“Kosovo gained independence, couldn’t we achieve autonomy?” he said.
Sergei Bagpash, the president of Georgia’s separatist Abkhazia region,
also applauded the Kosovo ruling.
“I think the decision itself will have a great influence on the
efforts we are making,” Bagpash told The Associated Press. “There can
be no double standards.”
Russia recognized the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
as independent states after the 2008 Russian-Georgian war and has kept
troops there.
In Bosnia, which was divided after the bloody ethnic war in the 1990s
into two entities _ a Bosniak-Croat and a Serb one _ the Bosnian Serb
Prime Minister Milorad Dodik said the ruling “represents a good road
sign for our future,” referring to the region’s longtime desire to
split from Bosnia.
“It’s inescapable that this ruling could have implications for other
territories and other peoples, but how this will play out remains to
be seen,” said Tim Judah, a London-based Balkan analyst and author.
“It’s too early to say because the court ruled on a very narrow
question, which was simply whether Kosovo’s declaration was legal or
not,” Judah said.
___
Associated Press writers Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Nebi Qena in
Pristina, Slobodan Lekic in Brussels, Sylvia Hui in London, Alison
Mutler in Bucharest and Christopher Toothaker in Caracas contributed
to this report.
From: A. Papazian