EU-DIGEST

Kosovo rejects deal on deployment of EU mission - by Daniel McLaughlin

A 2000 strong EU mission to oversee policing and justice in Kosovo could suffer further delays after leaders of the newly independent state rejected a deal on the mission's deployment that had been agreed by Brussels, Serbia and United Nations officials. The EU had hoped to deploy the mission soon after Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leaders declared independence from Serbia in February, but it has been blocked by opposition from Belgrade, by Serbia's main ally, Russia, and by the ethnic Serbs who dominate much of northern Kosovo.

Serbs see the EU mission as a symbol of Kosovo's sovereignty - which they vow never to accept - and instead want policing and justice powers to remain with the UN mission that has run Kosovo since 1999, when Nato bombing ended a brutal Serb crackdown on separatist rebels.

Labels: EU, Kosovo, United Nations

Could the Bucharest NATO Summit Give Birth to an EU Army? - by Gulfstreamblues

When it comes to great expectations, few summits could be said to be generating as much anticipation recently as the NATO summit in Bucharest this week. Besides hammering out a plan to rescue the military fiasco in Afghanistan, it is set to enlarge and restructure the alliance in a way that will fundamentally change it. All indications seem to suggest that Sarkozy will push this issue hard at the NATO summit, and that the meeting could end with not only new members and a redefined mission in Afghanistan but also with a specific NATO and US blessing for an EU army, starting with the EU policing project in Kosovo. Ironically, the most important thing to come out of this meeting may be the birth of an entirely different organization that could one day replace.

Labels: EU, European Army, Kosovo, Nato, Sarkozy

More countries expected to recognize Kosovo

Serbia's ambassador to Canada is preparing to hand over a diplomatic protest note over this country's recognition of Kosovo just as three neighbours of Serbia are to officially recognize the state. Later today, Bulgaria, Hungary and Croatia are expected to become the first neighbouring countries to recognize Kosovo, an ethnic Albanian-dominated former province of Serbia. Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia last month, but Canada didn't issue a statement of recognition until Tuesday.

Labels: EU, Kosovo

Kosovo riots 'were orchestrated'

A senior UN official in Kosovo has strongly criticized Serbia for failing to prevent the trouble which led to the death of a Ukrainian policeman. Ihor Kinal, 25, was fatally wounded on Monday by shrapnel from a hand grenade. Deputy head of mission Larry Rossin told reporters that some of the comments from Serbia's Kosovo minister in Mitrovica were "objectionable".

Labels: EU, Kosovo

RUSSIA'S SUPPORT OF SERBIA IS MORE ABOUT OIL THAN KOSOVO - - by Georgie Anne Geyer

"Since the end of the Balkans wars in the 1990s, the European attitude toward Serbia has been that this renegade of Europe would eventually, inevitably, join the European Union (E.U.)

After Kosovo declared independence, Medvedev, already chosen as interim president by Putin, traveled to Kosovo's to Belgrade to sign -- what? -- amazing deals with Serbia on a gas pipeline and almost certainly on buying into the rundown Serb oil refinery in Pancevo. Medvedev's pipeline deal for Moscow clears the way for the construction of the planned 550-mile South Stream pipeline through Serbia en route to Western Europe. Costs are reported to be in the area of $1.5 billion. In addition -- and substantively expanding the energy ambitions of Russia toward Europe -- the president presumptive said that the deal to buy Serbia's state oil refinery, NIS, would be signed soon. Russia has offered $600 million for the refinery, with an additional $730 million to modernize the company.

The purport of all of this? To see that the genie of radical nationalism, released so tragically 20 years ago in Serbia, is threatening to pop up again in the Balkans. An angry Russia is attempting to use its energy wealth to move once again into Europe. And the West had better look out."

Labels: EU, Kosovo, Russia

Long road from Kosovo to Kurdistan- Kosovo will have the Largest US military base since World War II - by Pepe Escobar

The ongoing saga revolves around two crucial, interrelated facts on the ground: Pipelineistan and the empire of 737 (and counting) US military bases in 130 countries operated by 350,000-plus Americans. In short: it revolves around the trans-Balkan AMBO pipeline and Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo, the the largest US base built in Europe in a generation. It also lays bare continuity from the Bill Clinton to the George W Bush administrations - the US dictating the rules of the game as if in a one-party state. Yugoslavia and Iraq also "taught" the world two lessons. From Clinton's humanitarian imperialism to Bush's "war on terror", it's all a matter of exclusive Washington prerogative. Blowback, of course, as Putin has warned, will be inevitable.

Washington and the three European Union heavyweights (France, Germany and Britain) have applauded Kosovo's independence. But this core of the self-described "international community" is caught in silent scream mode when confronted with the possibility of independence for Flanders in Belgium, northern Cyprus, the Serbian Republic of Bosnia, the Basque country in Spain, Gibraltar - not to mention Indian Kashmir (the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, JKLF, is already making some rumblings), Tibet, Taiwan, Abkahzia and South Ossetia (both in Georgia and both Russia-friendly), Palestine and Kurdistan. Northern Kosovo itself - totally Serbian-populated - and western Macedonia also don't qualify to become independent. So why Kosovo? Enter the AMBO pipeline and Camp Bondsteel.

Labels: EU, Kosovo, US

Medvedev-US threatens Europe stability

"The US is putting Europe in a very difficult position by supporting Kosovo, it is far away and is not facing any risks, but Europe could go ablaze", First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday in a campaign speech in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod. Medvedev who is likely to become Russia's next president also said that Kosovo's independence has "jeopardized security and stability of the whole region.'' Russia backs its ally Serbia in opposing Kosovo's independence and has warned Western states that recognizing Kosovo could set off a chain reaction of separatist unrest throughout Europe.

Labels: EU, Kosovo, Medvedev, Russia, US

Kosovo could end Scotland’s European dream - by Simon James

Kosovo’s independence must have cheered Scotland’s nationalists. The birth of another, smaller state in Europe is, on the face of it, a distant but useful precedent for them. However, the diplomatic fallout over recognition of the newcomer has ominous implications for the separatists in minority government in Edinburgh. Half a dozen European Union states fear the example that is being set for ethnic minorities within their borders. If Scotland ever votes for independence these states could easily make an example of it by blocking Scottish membership of the EU. The opponents are vehement. Cyprus, determined to avoid any example that might confer legitimacy on the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, denounced Kosovo’s declaration of independence as “a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia”, which, Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, the foreign minister, said “would set a dangerous precedent”.

Labels: EU, Kosovo

EU withdraws from Northern Kosovo?

"Hopes for a peaceful conclusion to the declaration of Kosovo's independence were fading as the European Union announced it had withdrawn its staff from the north of the fledgling country in the face of increasingly angry Serb protests." So begins the utterly predictable reaction of the EU to Serb anger as their "army in suits" pre-emptively withdraws.

The wider impact of the Kosovo crisis is the precedent that it sets for many of the "frozen conflicts" of the world, ranging from Azerbaijan to the Basque region. Remarkably, many Muslim countries have refused to recognize Kosovo. And their reluctance is fueled in part by the desire to avoid stirring up separatism. Therefore Kosovo has been sold by the EU and the US as an "exception" to the general rule. The problem is that the Serbs are taking the cue from the Kosovars. If Kosovo can split from Serbia why can't Serbian regions split from Kosovo? The EU believed that by throwing a protective blanket of "suits" around the Serbs in the north that Kosovo might be held together. But as the experience of Iraq shows, stabilization can only occur where security is guaranteed. The crisis that will face Western policy in Kosovo is whether they are up to providing "security" which is another word for military force, to back up their "army of suits". The suits can't deploy without the uniforms.

Labels: EU, Kosovo

Russia threatens to use force over Kosovo - by Steven Edwards

The international split over Kosovo grew more ominous Friday as Russia raised the spectre of using force to back its Serb ally's bid to retain the territory. Russia's envoy to NATO warned both the Western military alliance, which has a 16,000-strong peacekeeping force in Kosovo, and the European Union against formally backing the ethnic-Albanian leadership's declaration of independence from Serbia.

"If the European Union works out a common position, or if NATO breaches its mandate in Kosovo, these organizations will be in conflict with the United Nations," said Dmitry Rogozin, alluding to Russia's position that a UN Security Council resolution on Kosovo does not authorize a unilateral move to independence.

Labels: EU, Kosovo, Russia

Kosovo - Behind the scenes, EU splits over Kosovo - by Stephen Castle

Confronted by Kosovo's declaration of independence, a divided European Union on Monday agreed to differ over the legitimacy of Europe's newest nation. Britain, France, Italy and Germany said they would grant recognition, and the United States did as well. After several hours of tortuous negotiation, EU foreign ministers averted open conflict over the principle established by Kosovo's independence, issuing a statement noting that the decision on formal recognition lay with national capitals. Once again, the issues of identity and land raised by the long, violent dissolution of the old Yugoslavia split the nations of Europe. And Kosovo's status has assumed global significance because of the precedent independence could set for separatist movements elsewhere.

Labels: EU, Kosovo

Turkey to veto EU’s Kosovo police mission - by Zeynep Gürcanlı

Despite differences over recognition, the EU members agreed on Saturday to send some 2,000 police, justice and civil administrators to supervise Kosovo and help build institutions. The EU has also approved a civilian high representative for Kosovo, Dutchman Pieter Feith, who will oversee the police and justice mission and the implementation by Kosovo's government of standards protecting the province's Serb minority. The EU mission will take 120 days to complete deployment and take over from the U.N. mission, once a start date is agreed. Sources close to the matter said Turkey and the EU are holding talks in order to prevent a potential crisis. According to the EU decision, all EU members, except Malta, as well as Turkey, Croatia and the US will send support to the mission. This means Turkey and the Greek Cypriots, who are not recognized by Ankara, will work under the same umbrella.

Labels: EU, Kosovo, Turkey

The German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said recognising Kosovan autonomy was inevitable. "A negotiated solution was not possible. That is why we cannot now escape this event," he said. Britain's foreign secretary, David Miliband, indicated the UK would follow suit, saying Europe must show "real leadership" in maintaining stability in the region. But some member states, particularly those with a history of separatist movements, are likely to oppose Kosovo's official separation, with Spain leading the way this morning. "The Spanish government is not going to recognise the unilateral act proclaimed yesterday by the Kosovar assembly," the country's foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, said in Brussels. Other critics of Kosovan independence are likely to include Slovakia, Greece and Cyprus.

Kosovan leaders today sent 192 letters to governments around the world seeking formal recognition of independence.

Labels: EU, Kosovo, US

Kosovo - Europe divided on support for secession

Officials across Europe say European countries are increasingly unlikely to offer a united pledge of support for Kosovo's independence. Several in the 27-member European Union have voiced doubts. "Raise your hand if you don't have a separatist in your house," Italy's leading daily Corriere della Sera wrote. "The domino effect is terrifying many central governments." "Spain does not favor any unilateral declaration of independence," Spanish Vice-Premier Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said on Friday, adding her country's objections to those of Greece, Romania, Cyprus, Belgium, Bulgaria and Slovakia.

EU-Digest: This divided EU stand shows again the weakness of European resolve. The former Yugoslavia of which Kosovo was a part and held together by the iron hand of dictator Tito is no more. Serbia, Croatia,Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzogovina are all independent nations today. Kosovo can not be the exception to the rule. The EU as a block should at least show it has some more backbone than just giving "lip service" to Kosovo. Independence is a choice not a given, and Kosovo has chosen independence.

Labels: EU, Kosovo

Fingers Crossed for Kosovo: Europe Expects a Peaceful Transition to Independence - by Erich Rathfelder

tense quiet holds in Kosovo a few days before the expected declaration of independence. NATO peacekeepers say they have the situation under control. And the EU mission, which is supposed to foster social harmony, is already standing at the ready. The faces one sees in Pristina these days are friendly and full of expectancy. Residents of the capital city of Kosovo, indeed people across the mostly ethnic-Albanian province, have let go of the tension that has dominated the past few months and are full of anticipation. Indeed, according to an oft-cited study published in the breakaway Serbian province, people in Kosovo are currently among the most optimistic in the entire world.

Labels: EU, Kosovo

Kosovo Independence "Within Days" of Serb Election, Says Thaci

Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci announced Wednesday, Jan. 30 that the Serbian province will declare its independence within days of this weekend's Serbian presidential elections, regardless of who wins the vote. "The developments in Serbia do not have any influence on Kosovo," Thaci, the leader of the ethnic Albanian majority in the breakaway Serbian province, told journalists after meeting with senior police officials. "The independence of Kosovo will happen in the next few days, regardless if Tadic or Nikolic wins." Reuters news agency reported Wednesday, quoting unnamed sources, that Kosovo would declare independence after the Serbian presidential election on Feb. 3 if the nationalist candidate Tomislav Nikolic wins.

Labels: EU, Kosovo, Serbia

Kosovo's new government approved by parliament

A new Kosovo government headed by ethnic Albanian Hashim Thaci was approved by the region's parliament Wednesday night, with the prime minister vowing to declare independence within weeks. Out of the parliament's 120 representatives, 85 voted for Thaci's government while 22 against, the Beta news agency reported. Hajredin Kuqi of Thaci's Democratic Party of Kosovo and Rame Manaj of the Democratic League of Kosovo were appointed deputy prime ministers. Addressing the parliament, Thaci said Kosovo is at a historical crossroad and Kosovo is ready to realize its independence. "I assure you that within a few weeks, we will declare independence," Thaci told reporters, fanning speculations that Kosovo will break away from Serbia in February or March. Kosovo's 2 million Albanians, who account for about 90 percent of the province's population, are banking on the West to achieve its independence.

Labels: Kosovo

EU proposal lays out steps on Kosovo independence - by Dan Bilefsky and Stephen Castle

Kosovo will declare its independence in the first two months of 2008 and will be recognized by Britain, France, Italy and Germany within 48 hours, under a plan to be proposed by Slovenia after it assumes the presidency of the European Union in January, senior EU officials said Wednesday. The officials described a carefully orchestrated declaration of independence, probably after Serbian elections in early February, followed by a welcome from the EU and diplomatic recognition by Europe's biggest nations. More groups of countries will then recognize an independent Kosovo in a rolling series of announcements, led by the United States, the officials said. Washington would be followed by Switzerland, Iceland and Norway before another group made up of Turkey, Macedonia, Albania Montenegro, Croatia and Slovenia joined in. The 56 members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference would follow suit. The looming declaration of independence is the biggest test of European foreign policy for years.

Labels: Bosnia and Herzegovina, EU, Kosovo

Serbia considers retaliatory steps against West if Kosovo breaks free

Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica condemned the United States on Wednesday for supporting the independence of Kosovo as Parliament debated a measure that would sever diplomatic ties with Western countries that recognized the province's statehood.The measure in Parliament, proposed by Kostunica's government, rejects the idea of the European Union's setting up a mission in Kosovo before the status of the breakaway province is resolved. The resolution threatens to halt Serbian integration into the European Union if Kosovo gains statehood, and denounces NATO and the West for their alleged support of separatists in Kosovo.

Ethnic Albanians, who make up about 90 percent of the two million people in Kosovo, have said they will proclaim independence early in 2008.The leader of the opposition Liberal Party, Cedomir Jovanovic, who does not oppose Kosovo's independence, said the resolution represented "a blow to Serbia's ambitions to become a EU member."

Comment EU-Digest: Mr. Jovanovic is right and on top of that the Serbs have also not delivered Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic and Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic to the International Court of Justice. Serbia's war against Bosnia and Croatia between 1991 and 1995 was characterized by appalling acts of systematic violence against civilians. The use of ethnic cleansing and other genocidal tactics by Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic as a policy tool for partitioning Bosnia and Croatia and establishing a new population balance favorable to the Serbs in ethnically-cleansed territories shocked the international community.

Labels: EU, Genocide, Kosovo, Poltical, Serbia, US

European leaders agreed Friday to send an 1,800-strong security force to maintain stability in Kosovo, although they stopped short of backing independence for the province. Kosovo is expected to declare independence from Serbia early in the new year. Serbia, however, insists the region should remain autonomous within its borders.Speaking at the end of a one-day summit of European heads in Brussels, Jose Socrates, the Portuguese prime minister currently holding the European Union presidency, said that sending the security mission was a "political decision."

Labels: EU, Kosovo

What to do about Kosovo will be high up on the agenda at the European Union summit on Friday. But Slovenia, which takes over the EU presidency in January, may have a plan. According to a report in the International Herald Tribune this week, the approach would see the international community recognize Kosovo in stages with the core EU group including Britain, France, Italy and Germany going first, within 48 hours. The US would recognize Kosovo's independence soon after with Switzerland, Iceland and Norway following. The next group, the plan foresees, would comprise countries in the neighborhood including Turkey, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, and Slovenia itself. Finally, the 56 members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference would offer their rubber stamp to the independence declaration. With Serbia continuing its opposition to Kosovo independence, and Russia firmly behind Belgrade, the EU is concerned about the possibility of renewed violence breaking out in the region. In addition, the EU is planning on taking over the administration of Kosovo from the UN, but all 27 countries need to approve to put such a plan in motion.

Note EU-Digest: This will require some bluff poker by the EU, but it has lots of merits. The Russians might get upset, but they certainly won't want to get involved in a war over Kosovo.

Labels: EU, Kosovo

In Kosovo, a critic who just won't quit - by Robert Marquand

House arrest hasn't stopped Albin Kurti from railing against foreign diplomats who are expected Monday to announce their failure to broker an independence deal.n Kosovo, most public figures work hard to be patient, malleable, and understanding – waiting politely as foreign diplomats try to find a solution after eight years of talks. Not Kurti. He'd rather Kosovo declare independence Monday without the consent of Serbia and Russia, despite what observers say is a serious risk of violence. He'd also just as soon see the UN leave, and says so openly.

Experts here say that a strong and sustained determination by the EU and the US to back and follow through on a declaration of independence by Kosovo by implementing the Ahtisaari plan – is likely to take some of the wind out of Kurti's sails by proving the international community can be effective.

Labels: Kosovo

New Slovenian president: small nation can lead European Union

The president-elect of Slovenia, which takes over leadership of the European Union next month, said he believes his small nation can work effectively with the United States toward solving issues including the status of Kosovo. Danilo Turk, who was on a visit to New York related to his previous work as a United Nations official, spoke to The Associated Press Tuesday on topics ranging from racism in the European Union to U.S. involvement in Iraq.Slovenia, a nation of 2 million that broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991, is the first former communist nation to assume the rotating, six-month presidency of the 27-nation European Union. Its presidency starts Jan. 1 — a challenge, Turk acknowledges, for the tiny country, which lies between the Austrian Alps and Italy, bordering the Adriatic Sea.

Labels: Danilo Turk, EU, Kosovo, Slovenia, US

Kosovo Election Monitors Confirm Thaci Victory

Election monitors confirmed today that the opposition Democratic Party of former ethnic Albanian guerrilla leader Hashim Thaci won the November 17 parliamentary elections in Serbia's Kosovo province. The election monitoring group "Democracy in Action" says that with votes from 90 percent of polling stations counted, Thaci's PDK is leading with 34 percent, beating the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) into second place with 22 percent. The election result puts Thaci in a position to form a coalition government.

Labels: Elections, Kosovo

Serbia Cautions U.S., EU Not to Recognize Kosovo, Jeremic Says - by Marie-Louise Moller and James G. Neuger

Serbia's new foreign minister warned the U.S. and Europe that diplomatic recognition for the breakaway Serb province of Kosovo would spark a nationalist backlash and sow turmoil in the Balkans.

Leaders of Kosovo, a province of 2 million people under international control since NATO's air war in 1999, are threatening to declare independence from Serbia before the end of the year.

Labels: EU, Kosovo, USA

Bush urges independence for Kosovo

After getting a rock star's welcome in Albania, U.S. President George Bush pressed the United Nations to quickly grant independence to neighbouring Kosovo. "At some point in time, sooner rather than later, you've got to say 'Enough is enough, Kosovo is independent'," Bush told a news conference Sunday in what was a sitting American president's first visit to Albania.

Labels: Bush, Kosovo