Posted on 03/30/2004 10:14:27 AM PST by MarMema
PRAGUE - Czech diplomat Jiri Dienstbier assessed that that only solution for Kosovo is decentralization, that is, the forming of self-governing districts by ethnic groups, whereas "gifted" independence would only represent a risk for all of Europe.
In a commentary published today in the Prague daily "Pravo", Diensbier assessed that, in the event of independence, the extremists would not be content just with Kosovo.
"UNMIK chief consoles himself that the Albanian leaders have condemned violence," writes the former human rights rapporteur for the former Yugoslavia, adding that these condemnations, however, cover "only attacks on international forces, civil and religious objects but not on Serbs".
In an article entitled "Picking up the pieces in Kosovo - What will happen next in the region?" Dienstbier reminds that six years ago Ibrahim Rugova ensured him that the Kosovo Albanians would protect the non-Albanian population and common historical heritage.
"How would he protect anything when under UN administration and with troops under the command of NATO one quarter million Serbs, Roma, Croats, Bosniacs and Gorans were expelled?" asks Diensbier, adding that "the quiet intellectual Rugova would be unlikely to survive independence".
The Czech diplomat further warns that "for the extremists, independence is a base for international trade in drugs, women, for human and goods smuggling of every kind and the long-term expansion of their power into all areas inhabited by Albanians in Macedonia, southern Serbia, in Montenegro."
In Greece, too, "where the Olympics is to be held, there are also 100,000 Albanians", he reminds and assesses that it is necessary to start from the beginning and differently.
"Probably the only way of building a civil society is gradual drawing nearer, decentralization and forming of self-governmeing districts by ethnic groups whose security will be guaranteed by the UN and KFOR,"
proposed Dienstbier on the pages of the Czech daily.
The explanation of many world politicians that this would lead to the ethnic partition of Kosovo is rejected by Dienstbier who comments that "due to the inactivity and incompetence (of the international administration), the partition already occurred a long time ago", whereas decentralization would only mean "creating conditons for the restoration of normal human contacts".
Belgrade, 29 Mar (Politika) – Slobodan Mileusnic, the director of the Museum of the Serbian Orthodox Church stated that according to all accessible information of the Eparchy Raska-Prizrenska, in Kosovo and Metohija, the organizers of the destruction, which happened on the 17th, and the 18th of March destroyed everything they could. Mileusnic emphasized that episcopes Artemije and Atanasije have visited most of the 35 damaged religious sites, but added that the final word is expected from the specialists from the institute for protection of cultural monuments and the conservation society, who are currently in Kosmet. "Renovation is possible but it is impossible to return what once existed," stated Mileusnic, and added that a special example of this is Prizren where all hat belonged to the Serbian Orthodox Church was destroyed (10 churches, the priest school of Saint Kiril and Metodija, and the Vladaricin castle.
Addressing the possibility for the removal of the completely destroyed monasteries of Saint Archangel near Prizren and the Devic monastery, Mileusnic pointed out that in certain situations that Albanians are digging out the foundations of the churches and are throwing out the material in the near by rivers. Reason for this is the act that they want to erase all evidence of the existing of orthodox religious sites.
Showing the picture of an young Albanian standing beneath the entrance to a monastery on which someone had written "Death to Serbs", Mileusnic did not exclude the possibility for "brutal attempts for changing the roads of Christian history". "Under orders of the international forces, people and priests were forced to leave their homes and monasteries. Then came the Albanians who torched and blow up everything", stated Mileusnik, who pointed to the absurdness of the situations by stating that after all of this the international forces would return to protect the ashes.
He'd make his case stronger if he showed the picture of the young albanian urinating on the wreckage of St. George church.
"Death to Serbs" sign did not stop Albanian kid from stealing something from the wreckage (object in her right hand) . Another missed point.
From what I have read, the German and French troops sat by and allowed the mobs to destroy, beat, and burn.
The Irish, Greek, Italian and Czeech troops, and ours too, were often heroic in their actions. Also a Swedish general is furious over the narrow escapes from death of his men and has vowed to put into place a kind of "shoot first" policy for the Albanians.
Sniff, sniff.
ROFL!!!You are amazing with satire, please post the link for your post so everyone can see it.
ROFL!!!You are amazing with satire, please post the link for your post so everyone can see it.
Not satire at all. The Koran commands the faithful Muslim to emulate the "exemplary life" of Muhammad. Muhammad led a life of murder and plunder, the Kosovo Muslims are copying Muhammad by doing the same
http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:nXBkIvkImqkJ:www.restricted.s5.com/about.html+copy+exemplary+life+mohammed&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 The declaration of faith: To bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Mohammad (PBUH) is His Messenger to all human beings till the Day of Judgment. The Prophethood of Mohammad obliges the Muslims to follow, His exemplary life as a model.
By Martin Walker UPI Editor
Published 3/29/2004 5:13 PM
WASHINGTON, March 29 (UPI) -- NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo is in trouble and needs a fundamental re-think, Slovakia's Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda warned the Bush administration Monday.
In Washington for the Slovakia's formal accession to NATO along with six other central and Eastern Europe countries, Dzurinda told United Press International Monday that after his recent visit he had concluded "there has been no progress in Kosvo in recent years."
Dzurinda, who has sent troops to join NATO missions in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, is seen in Washington as one of the most reliable and pro-American of the new NATO members. His call for a re-assessment of NATO policy in Bosnia marks the first high-level policy intervention of the new alliance members.
"We need to debate where we go from here, whether to change the policy, to try to organize Kosovo more like Bosnia-Herzegovina," Dzurinda said. "We need to be more active."
Dzurinda faced heavy domestic criticism for his support of NATO's 1999 military operations against Serbia that led to withdrawal of Serbian forces from Kosovo, a former province of Yugoslavia and now under NATO-backed U.N. administration.
Dzurinda, who saw President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld after the formal White House ceremony Monday, said that he intended to visit Serbia and Kosovo again soon. He added that Slovakia's background in the old Soviet bloc meant that his country "could play a useful role, and we want to be helpful, particularly in NATO relations with Ukraine and the west Balkans."
Kosovo was rocked this month by a two-day eruption of ethnic violence that hit all the major urban centers, leaving 28 dead, more than 600 wounded and hundreds of homes and churches in ruins. Two U.N. police officers were also ambushed and killed last week. NATO has sent reinforcements to take it deployment to 20,000 troops after ethnic Albanians rampaged through many of the remaining Serb areas in what has been condemned as a burst of ethnic cleansing in reverse, with Albanians seeking to evict the remaining Serb minority from Kosovo.
Dzurinda spoke in Washington as U.S. Undersecretary for Political Affairs Marc Grossman held talks in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, with U.N. Gov. Harri Holkeri. On arrival in Kosovo, where he was joined by NATO's commander for southeast Europe, Gen. Gregory Johnson, Grossman said the latest wave of violence in the province was "unacceptable and could not be repeated."
But Dzurinda stood firm against the demands of Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi for full-scale independence for Kosovo, with power in the hands of the Albanian majority. At the same time, NATO has rebuffed pleas from Serbia to send Serb police and troops back to Kosovo to protect the Serb enclaves. That is seen in Kosovo as a prelude to an ethnic partition of the province.
"Belgrade (the Serb capital) is appealing for a return to war. The return of the army and police is an unrealistic demand which cannot even be considered," Rexhepi told the regional daily newspaper Dan. "The division of Kosovo is the aim of the majority in Belgrade, but that proposal is unacceptable for us."
The senior U.N. official in Kosovo, Holkeri, insists that the policy remains focused on rebuilding a multiethnic society in which Serbs and Kosovars can live peacefully side by side, with the constitutional future of Kosovo left for future decision. But Dzurinda's call for a re-think by NATO, which is expected to be reinforced later this week when Britain's Europe Minister Denis MacShane visits Washington, could force the United Nations to reconsider.
The seven new members of the NATO alliance are Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania and Bulgaria. They join as the United States is weighing a major redeployment of its forces in Europe, cutting back as many as half the 80,000 troops in Germany, and shifting them to less permanent bases in the Balkans, closer to what the Pentagon has called "the arc of crisis" in the Caucasus and Middle East.
While Dzurinda hailed Monday the "historic" entry of his country into NATO -- and joining the European Union on May 1 -- his government faces political challenges. The opposition has called for a recall vote in a forthcoming referendum that would require new elections, just as Dzurinda's government in weathering some difficult opinion poll ratings after introducing a spate of unpopular reforms. And next month's presidential election in Slovakia could bring back to power Vladimir Meciar, the once-discredited leader who took the country out of the Czechoslovak federation and whose cavalier ways with democracy delayed Slovakia's entry into a disapproving NATO. The presidency in Slovakia, however, is not as powerful as the premiership.
"I do not think Meciar can be elected president. I believe that the Slovak people are too responsible to do so, or to recall their government through a referendum. It is an unfair system, since it would mean no government would dare introduce tough reforms in the future if they knew they could be replaced through a referendum. Our people know that our reforms are stating to pay off," Dzurinda said.
"We have introduced a 19 percent flat tax, reformed the welfare and health systems, and started making people pay their share for university education. This is unpopular with some people, but we have economic growth of 5 percent a year, and foreign investment is pouring into the country, bringing 80,000 new jobs. Our reforms are working, and I believe our people understand that, just as they understand the importance of our joining NATO and the EU."
Copyright © 2001-2004 United Press International
If the Serbs want back to Kosovo then they should NOT object against the US base Bondsteel overthere.
If Kosovo goes back to Serbia then the US has to renegotiate the agreement they have made with the Albanians. I think there was a talk of 99 year lease.
Unless the Serbs come to their senses and allow this base to function Kosovo WILL just have to become INDEPENDENT and all Serbian property will be destroyed over time.
red herring
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