Serbia urges 20-year grace period on Kosovo status

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14392863.htm ^ | feb. 14th 2006

[kronos77]

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Serbia's president proposed on Tuesday a 20-year grace period before deciding Kosovo's final status, a suggestion quickly dismissed by Kosovo's prime minister and Europeans.

The dispute at a Security Council meeting on Kosovo illustrated the chasm between the two sides just days before long-awaited U.N.-organized talks begin in Vienna on Monday on the future of the Serbian province.

Kosovo has been run by the United Nations since NATO bombs drove out Serb forces in 1999 during a campaign of ethnic cleansing under former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

Serbian President Boris Tadic offered Kosovo wide autonomy and again rejected independence. He then told the council Kosovo's status could be renegotiated "after an agreed period of time, say 20 years."

Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi, the first Pristina government official to attend a council meeting, rejected drawn out talks, saying, "I believe that this is the appropriate moment where we have to end and close the Kosovo question."

"I do not think that we should leave room for other periods to deal with the Kosovo question," Kosumi told reporters. "Simply, we need to give the people of Kosovo their chance to create their own lives and live in freedom."

Both Tadic and Russia's U.N. Ambassador, Andrei Denisov, warned that Kosovo independence could have an impact on the resolution of other conflicts.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested, for instance, that if Kosovo were granted independence, the same might be appropriate for breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia provinces in the former Soviet republic of Georgia.

Soren Jessen-Petersen, the top U.N. envoy in Kosovo, told Kosumi it was important that minority rights for Serbs and others be protected, among other demands by the council.

"The message is clear. The sooner and the faster that we institute in Kosovo implemented standards, the sooner we will have a decision on the status in Kosovo," he said.

But Jessen-Petersen also said the talks needed participation from the Serbs in Kosovo and not just Belgrade.

The Serb, Turk, Bosnian, Roma and other minority communities, which account for 10 to 12 percent of the population, have faced isolation, insecurity and outbursts of violence from the ethnic Albanian majority. Many expelled Serbs have not been able to return home.

In response, the Serbs have maintained parallel administrative structures tied to Belgrade and rejected U.N. overtures to participate in Kosovo.

The European Union and a group of countries acting as advisers, which includes Russia, want the status dispute resolved this year.

"Any settlement should conclude during 2006," British envoy Adam Thomson said. "And it clearly cannot disregard the aspirations of 90 percent of the population of Kosovo, so independence is a realistic option."

But he said Kosovo leaders "must understand they need to demonstrate they are genuinely committed to minority rights."

[kronos77]

Balkan ping!

[kronos77]

So, Serbs want to negotiate, but Muslims backed by United Kingdoom won`t.
I saw UN secuurity session when British ambasador said "And indipendancy is for some countries most acceptable solution that would bring stability"

Taht country is breeding ground for muslim terrorists, and yet, they still want to dance with them!

[Eagles6]

Coming soon to the American southwest.

[kronos77]

I can allready see:

"On UN Security councile, Chineese ambasador said that indipendancy of Tejas and Nueva Espana is by far most acceptabile solution that will bring peace and stability in the disputed region, and that Latin/Hispanic majority in newly established countries have promissed to respect rights of American minority."

Comming soon to your state (California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas...)

[Moderate right-winger]

time is running out...20 years might as well be 200 years...

[FormerLib]

This can only work if NATO suddenly develops the will and the backbone to defend the minorities being so viciously persecuted by the Muslim Albanians in Kosovo and rollback the effects of their ethnic cleansing campaign.

Including having the Albanians pay for the restoration of all of the destroyed churches and monasteries to their original condition and the restoration of all Church properties.

But peace and justice will only return to Kosovo alongside the Serb Army.

[eleni121]

But peace and justice will only return to Kosovo alongside the Serb Army.

......................................................

No doubt about that.

[Wraith]

Kosovo back to the Serbs equals a strong Allie against the Muslim radicals operating in that part of the Balkans. This Independence issue is a big mistake. Once they the Albanians get what they want they will want more resulting in widespread conflict....

[Eagles6]

You got it.