Posted on 09/30/2006 7:13:34 AM PDT by tgambill
BELGRADE – Just 12 percent of Serbs believe Serbia will hold on to its Kosovo province, according to the results of an opinion poll published on Friday that fly in the face of Belgrade's official line. Fifty-eight percent said they wanted the United Nations-administered province to remain part of Serbia, but few believe it is a realistic expectation, said pollster Marko Blagojevic.
'We have two dimensions here. One emotional, and the other rational,' said Blagojevic, of the respected Centre for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID).
Serbian leaders 'managed to convince the people they want Kosovo to remain part of Serbia, but simply did not make a good enough case for them to expect this,' he said.
The United Nations is expected to decide within months whether to grant Kosovo a form of supervised independence, seven years after NATO wrested control of the majority Albanian province to stop what it said was becoming a bloodbath.
Serbia says Kosovo's amputation would violate international law and embolden ethnic separatists across Europe.
Parliament is poised to adopt a new state constitution that enshrines Kosovo as Serb land forever. Rhetoric plays constantly on its almost mythic status, the Serbs' Orthodox heartland and site of their epic 1389 defeat by the Ottoman Turks.
But of two million people who live there, 90 percent are ethnic Albanians who lost 10,000 people in the 1998-99 conflict and would see any return to Serb rule as a fresh call to war.
Diplomats say independence is almost certain.
According to the CeSID poll, conducted between Aug 26 and Sept 5, 36 percent said they expected independence. Seventeen percent thought the territory would be split in two, with Serbia taking a thin slice of mainly Serb land in the north.
Only 12 percent thought Kosovo would remain an autonomous region of Serbia, while 29 percent were unsure.
Serbs and Albanians opened direct talks in February in Vienna but there has been no compromise on the central issue of Kosovo's future status. U.N. mediator Martti Ahtisaari is expected to propose a solution by November which
Hopelite, except for the Pearl Harbor issue, all have been answered, just in your little world do you hold these "imaginings", which I'm sure you have many. As you little hole is endless and very deep. :)) The
It's funny, you know few if anyone, you know only what you write to and receive and yet you make these incredibly naive, empty and judgmental assertions about virtual strangers. If not for your family and your liberal co-workers, I bet you lead a very lonely and empty life....So sad.
I guess you will have to be content with these worthless exchanges of posts. If you look back on all of the posts you will find that you are the instigator in most all. You stir serious posters up with your rantings and silly insults, the others that know you pay you no mind, but you waste band width with the the others.....as we exchange these worthless posts back and forth. I am also guilty of the same thing, but answering back is my weakness as I get caught up in the exchange of the moment. ;)) there will come a time shortly however that I'll answer to express my view against some of your postings but not for your sake or response. Just to assert my opinion to the person you are writing. As a courtesy, I would include your "name" but eventually ignore your presence. you see, It makes no difference what facts, opinions, or links you will not agree to being corrected as it would bring down a house of cards, so why bother......simple.
C ya..............
Only because you refuse to back up your assertion regarding Pearl Harbor, Tom.
I've been trying to get a coherent answer from you on the matter for the last 10 days, but it appears to be beyond your power to provide a meaningful response.
What a surprise.
A small surprise or big surprise is better than no surprise a-tall. you think, Twiddle Dee.....
How did the NWO start those wars?
:) Oh, let's just say I'm studying that one. I knew exactly what you meant and what you are looking for.
Though it is no surprise to find you here insulting people as usual.
He's bored 'cause the Mussie bath houses are closed until after sundown during Ramadan.
LOL!!
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