Posted on 08/15/2007 9:36:14 AM PDT by montyspython
NATO warns of a war in Kosovo
Tuesday, August 14, 2007 7:31 AM
NEBI QENA
PRISTINA, Serbia-NATO's commander in Kosovo said Tuesday that patience is running out in the volatile province and he warned of further deterioration if international envoys fail to persuade ethnic Albanians and Serbia to agree on its future.
German Lt. Gen. Roland Kather, who commands over 16,000 troops in Kosovo, urged Western and Russian envoys to broker a deal between the independence seeking ethnic-Albanians and Serbia's officials or risk facing a violent backlash if no agreement is reached.
"Patience is not endless," Kather said. "They should come up with a decision as soon as possible."
Last week envoys from United States, the European Union and Russia launched a 120-day effort to end the impasse over Kosovo.
The new effort follows Russia's threat to block a Western-backed plan to grant Kosovo internationally supervised independence in the U.N. Security Council.
The diplomats are to report back to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon by Dec. 10.
Kather said the situation was quiet in the province of some two million people but added it was "unpredictable."
"Certainly the situation will deteriorate after those 120 days," Kather said. "We have to do everything possible to keep it under control."
The delay in resolving Kosovo's political status has raised fears of renewed violence as the frustration among the majority ethnic Albanians grows in the absence of a decision over its future, eight years into U.N. and NATO administration.
"My main worry is that following some kind of ... political trouble, there will be some individuals, there will be some extremists, there will be some frustration," Kather said.
"They need a fuse, and then they might come up with some violent actions. That of course, will cause a reaction ... and then suddenly this violence might run out of control," he said.
Both sides in the talks have expressed doubt an agreement will be reached and prospects for compromise are slim. Kosovo's Albanians continue to insist on full independence from Serbia, an outcome Belgrade opposes.
Over the weekend the EU envoy to the talks said that partitioning the province along ethnic lines was an option if ethnic Albanian and Serbian leaders agreed, and threatened to deny the possibility of EU membership if the sides failed to compromise.
The two sides are to hold the next round of talks with international envoys Aug. 30 in Vienna, Austria.
Who might "they" be? The Albanians a great at creating artificial "fuses".
bump
Well, it wouldn’t be the first war that Germany has started there...
Hmmmm, a war brewing in Kosovo to overflow into the rest of Europe.
The German Gen. is probably thinking, “Gee, its NOT my fault this time....”
You beat my anti german remark by 50 seconds! Damn.
The West has welched on our deal with the Serbs, ethnic cleansing and the destruction of centuries old churches all over Kosovo and now the Serbs are supposed to say “of course, let the KLA and the West steal Kosovo that’s the peace deal we signed isn’t it”?
Foolish of us, if we didn’t catch a clue from GWB’s watch being stolen in Albania, we more then likely never will.
But...but...I thought Bill Clinton fixed all of this.
Putting Germans in Seria... Long historical memories in the Balkans.
Biden was just on CSPAN ‘Road to the White House’ saying how great things were going.
The Balkans are not worth a bucket of warm spit.
As opposed to Russian-backed Cetnik drug runners? What’s the difference?
Hey, the EU wanted to be in control of their own destiny...........let them handle it. We should be out of there.
Herr General, just bomb Albania [from 15,000ft] until their proxies stop firing at you!
No "Chetnicks" or or any other Serbs have flown planes into American builds or any other buildings!
What? Are you smoking something?
Good point. Bubba, who diverted public and media attention away from his ever erupting sexual peccadilloes, began an illegal war with Yugoslavia. One more reason for the hildebeast not to have the WH.
Clinton’s Quagmire!!!!!
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