Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Feb 19 2008
Kosovo: Precedent or unique case? – Analysis
[ 19 Feb 2008 13:26 ]
Bucharest. Dr. Fakhri Karimli-APA. An unusual event happened not only
in the history of Europe, but also in the system of international
relations.
For the first time since the World War II ended in 1945, the borders of
a sovereign state were unilaterally changed: former Serbian autonomous
province declared its independence.
Declaration of independence unanimously adopted at the extraordinary
meeting of the parliament of Kosovo province says: "Observing that
Kosovo is a special case arising from Yugoslavia’s non-consensual
breakup and is not a precedent for any other situation… We declare
Kosovo to be a democratic, secular and multiethnic republic, guided
by the principles of non-discrimination and equal protection under
the law. We shall protect and promote the rights of all communities
in Kosovo and create the conditions necessary for their effective
participation in political and decision-making processes." But it
seems these promises are not sufficient for Serbia. Serbian Prime
Minister Vojislav Kostunica in a televised speech called on Serbian
people to unite.
"We should show the world that we do not accept establishment of a
false state at the cost of our lands," he said.
Kosovo is of special importance for Serbians, because this territory
is considered the cradle of Serbian people. The center of Serbian
patriarchal church was also situated in Pech city of present Kosovo.
Ethnics of this area notably differed during different periods of
time. Official census of the population in 1921 proves that Muslim
Albanians were main elements (329,502 or75%). Though after that
Serbia settled a lot of Serbian families in Kosovo, natural growth of
Albanians exceeded it. In 1945 new socialist Yugoslavia established
Kosovo autonomous province the official languages of which were
Serbian, Albanian and Turkish. For the first time in 1981, Albanian
nationalist movement demanded republic status for Kosovo, but the
movement was suppressed by the central government. In 1989 Belgrade
annulled Kosovo’s autonomy, local parliament declared independence
in 1990 and this state was only recognized by Albania. Beginning from
1995 separatist Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) started guerilla against
Serbian people and police. Confrontation especially sharpened in
1998-99 and 300,000 Albanians were obliged to leave their lands.
After Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic rejected Rambuje
agreement, which envisaged giving broad rights to Albanians and
deploying NATO troops in the country, NATO bombed Serbia for 78 days.
Serbia capitulated and UN took over the administration.
Actually, Kosovo Albanians started to prepare for that day long ago.
In 2006 Serbians and Albanians started talks on the status of the
province with mediation of ex-president of Finland, UN special envoy
Martti Ahtisaari. But the peace process gave no results because of
Albanians’ independence demand, and after three-month round of talks
in 2007 failed in December, it was obvious that Kosovo would declare
its independence. The only obstacle was the presidential election
in Serbia in January. The expected event happened after Boris Tadic
defeated his pro-Russian radical rival in the second round early in
February and Kosovo declared its independence.
The process following the collapse of Yugoslavia can be summarized
in four groups:
Forced unification of the state by the international community
and gradual centralization of confederative structure – Bosnia and
Herzegovina;
Solution of the conflict by centrifugation preserving unitary system
of government – Macedonia; Separation of republic by consent of the
central government – Montenegro;
Unilateral independence without the consent of the central government
– Kosovo.
It would better to speak about the results that may follow Kosovo’s
independence. Russian officials’ statements that Kosovo will serve as
a model for the frozen conflicts in the post-Soviet space are of this
kind. In fact, Kosovo precedent is nothing but another political tool
in the new stage of the confrontation between the West and Russia. In
order to keep Serbia, indirectly the Balkans under its influence,
Moscow blackmails that Kosovo will be precedent for the conflicts of
Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno Karabakh and Transdnestria created
by itself in 1988-92. The west claims that Kosovo is a special and
unique case. It is not accidental that this statement is reflected in
Kosovo’s declaration of independence. It is not true to say that,
Kosovo is a precedent for post-Soviet conflicts. Every conflict has
its own features. There is no similarity between Nagorno Karabakh
conflict and Kosovo on their historical-geographical and procedural
mechanism. There are following f differences between Kosovo and Nagorno
Karabakh conflict: Principe of historical succession: There is not
3rd ethnic factor (Caucasus Albans) in Alban-Serb confrontation as
in Armenian-Azerbaijan relations.
Inheritance of the conflict: Kosovo conflict was not the result
of separation of Yugoslavia. It appeared in 8th year of history of
independent Serbia. But Nagorno Karabakh conflict appeared during
the separation of USSR. The chance given to post socialist Serbia
has not presented to Azerbaijan.
Territory claim: The conflict parties in Kosovo experiment are not
Albania-Yugoslavia or Albania -Serbia and Tirana has never claimed the
territory from Belgrade. Unlike Armenia, Albania has never adopted the
document on annexion of Kosovo and Albanian Army has never participated
in the operation in Kosovo territory. Geographical factor: Unlike
Kosovo, Nagorno Karabakh is territory and additional regions around
the province have not been occupied. Ethnic cleansing: Total ethnic
cleansing has not carried out here unlike Kosovo and representatives
of titular ethnos not ethnos of autonomy became IDPs.
International interference: NATO or any other international
organization has not carried out operation against Azerbaijan and
regime of any organization has not been applied in Nagorno Karabakh
administratively.
Kosovo is not autonomy in the territory of Serbia. Albanians who
demanded the status of equal rights socialist republic in the
framework of Yugoslavia, but Belgrade did not give attention to it
and used method of force. Then Kosovo conflict appeared. Those who
considers Kosovo problem as an amnesia made necessary by historical
facts can not approach to Nagorno Karabakh conflict with the same
principles. Violence in Kosovo is caused by Serbia’s avoidance offering
democratic authority to Kosovo in the framework of institutional
reforms and reactionary policy pursued by Serbia against world
society. But Azerbaijan faced with violence of Armenia and annexion
in the 1st stage and separatism in the 2nd stage. Will Kosovo be
separate precedent? US President George Bush stated that its country
stated its position on Kosovo problem .It is difficult to say the same
words about his European allies. EU member countries have not stated
unique position on Kosovo problem. Each country stated it position
separately. It would be naive to expect Spain which suffers from
Basque, Catalan, Aragon separatism, Greece and Greek Cyprus suffered
from North Cyprus, Slovakia and Romania where Hungarian minority causes
potential danger to take step immediately. Russian which is alliance
of Serbia calls the meeting of UN Security Council. Moscow is against
appearance of Kosovo in the world map. Therefore, Kosovo will not be
member of UN. It will be half unrecognized body it will not differ
from Taiwan. Chine, member of UN Security Council does not recognize
Taiwan. It was threatened to be annexed by Beijing every time. Taiwan
has not relation with international bodies. Jose Ignacio Torreblanca
specialist on Kosovo problem said that, Kosovo’s independence is
precedent for those who committed ethnic cleansing and genocide or
ignored the human rights. The main feature of Nagorno Karabakh is that,
Azerbaijan is not a side which pursued such policy. Azerbaijan is a
victim of this policy.