SERBIA: AN ALARMING PRECEDENT
New Kosova Report
Drilon-Gashi/Serbia-An-Alarming-Precedent.html
Mar ch 31 2008
Sweden
Drilon GashiKosovo is now more than a month into its sovereignty and
statehood, many wonder what has the independence declaration meant
to the world’s other sovereignty seekers? As a result, de-facto
independent entities such as Republika Srpska, Nagorno-Karabakh,
as well as others, actually, have not subsequently declared their
own independence (or rather been internationally recognized). I was
careful here not to mention Transnistria (Pridnestrovie), Abkhazia, and
South Ossetia, not because they have been internationally recognized,
but only because Russia has already taken governmental measures to
recognize these "countries".
So as Russia begins de-stabilizing the former Soviet Union and
neighboring Georgia, its historical ally, Serbia, is working on
its own Pandora’s Box of a precedent in the Balkans. Russia, which
has been campaigning in defense of international law, is actually
countering its own principles in going ahead with the recognition of
its neighboring secessionist states. A true ally indeed, especially
in terms of de-stabilization, Serbia, is now openly pushing for the
ethnic partition of Kosovo (more specifically, partitioning northern
Mitrovica). An article from the New York-based American-Albanian
newspaper, Illyria, headlined an article with "Serbia removes their
masks: want the partition of Kosova". Undeniably, Serbia is now going
ahead with "Plan B" as annulment of Kosovo’s independence has been
realized as an impossible feat.
So post-independent Kosovo has had violence, as feared, leading to the
death of a Ukrainian police officer, yet this violence was most likely
sponsored by Serbia. This goes along with the indirect "sponsorship"
of attacks on the U.S. along with other foreign embassies in Belgrade
which occurred right after Kosovo’s independence. Looking back, we
see that, besides wearing diplomatic masks, Serbia also had state
sponsored paramilitary militias wearing their own types of masks
during the massacres of innocent civilians in Croatia, Bosnia, and
Kosovo. Should the world fear Kosovo’s precedent, or have we found
the real culprit in Serbia?
Kosovo is going through with implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan,
which includes wide-ranging minority rights, as well as many other
provisions which are impressive for any state to accept and embark
on. Kosovo faces the reality of northern Mitrovica, which is considered
by some as de-facto separate, an issue it intends to deal with in
as peaceful of a manner as it, NATO and UNMIK can. Kosovo and its
institutions realize that Serbia is definitely not a good example for
a country dealing with a similar issue. In similar situations, Serbia
attempted to "solve" its ethnographical statistics with thinking can
be summed by former Serbian governor of Kosovo, stating, "All we want
is to reduce the Albanian population to a manageable level."
Nonetheless, Kosovo and Europe are actually still striving to
work together with Serbia, rightfully so. Instead of punishment
for its atrocities in the wars of Yugoslavia, and Serbia’s lack of
understanding with Kosovo, Europe and Kosovo are still extending a
hand for collaboration. The hope is that Serbia will wise up, and
realize that beginning ethnic partition of Kosovo would only create
a real "domino effect" in the Balkans. Ethno-nationalist segments
throughout the region would create a serious blow to the progress and
majority acceptance of European integration, instead, heading down a
road which could only precede more violence and war. Kosovo needs to
develop and strengthen its own institutions to be ready for the near
future, where the only type of precedent neighboring Serbia continues
to serve as, is a negative one.
http://www.newkosovareport.com/20080331816/