Posted on 02/22/2008 5:28:07 AM PST by markomalley
VATICAN CITY, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Serbia took its campaign against Kosovo's independence to the Vatican on Thursday when its ambassador told Pope Benedict that "moral principles" alone showed it was an injustice.
But the Pontiff, receiving Serbia's ambassador to the Holy See, steered clear of the dispute and renewed his call for all sides to show restraint.
"With regard to the current crisis in Kosovo, I call upon all interested parties to act with prudence and moderation, and to seek solutions that favour mutual respect and reconciliation," the Pontiff said.
Sunday's declaration of independence by Kosovo, which has a 90 percent ethnic Albanian majority, triggered small and at times violent protests in Serb cities and in neighbouring Bosnia's autonomous Serb half.
Serbia rallied its people on Thursday for a mass protest against the independence bid, with organisers expecting hundreds of thousands to attend.
"With your devotion to the highest moral principles, your Holiness knows better than anyone that injustice, which is called justice in only one unique case, always remains an injustice," said Serb ambassador Viadeta Jankovic, according to text of his comments released by the Vatican.
Embassies of countries that recognised Kosovo were attacked, especially those of the United States and current EU president Slovenia, and some foreign businesses were stoned or threatened.
Pope Benedict met with Kosovo's president earlier this month but the Holy See has not recognised Kosovo. The Pope told Jankovic on Thursday that he shared Serbia's desire for lasting peace.
Serbia and its ally Russia say Kosovo's declaration of independence violates a 1999 U.N. resolution and that recognising it will open a "Pandora's Box" of separatism.
Serbia's ambassador said he hoped to count on the support of the Holy See in its "aspirations to join the European integrations".
"All that Serbia expects from that process is to be granted the same treatment as that accorded to any other free, independent and democratic Christian country," Jankovic said.
"(This) means that its territorial integrity and sovereignty, including the southern province of Kosovo, must be respected."
In 1999 NATO intervened in Kosovo to stop mass killings of civilians by Serb forces in a two-year counter-insurgency war. The United Nations then took over the administration of Kosovo.
That tripe’s been disproved long ago on these very forums.
The tribe that the modern day Albanians claim kinship to were not around that area in Roman times.
Guess you want to hand the US back to the Indians as well, eh?
And don’t tell me your views on Aztlan!
You are trying to compare apples to oranges. We are not conducting an ethnic cleansing here in the US. Isn't that what happened in Kosovo? I have no animosity towards the Serbs. I just think that burning embassies and rioting is not the answer to their problem.
He needs to delete the first ‘a’ in his name.
Sure sounds like you have forgotten 9/11 since you support rewarding the same folks with a new base of operations.
Nice...way to convince someone of your point of view. Call them names. You two, FormerLib and Kolokotronis always buddy up? Can't you think for yourself or do you have to tag team everyone? Makes me understand the Serbs emotional rages a little better if you are an example of these folks.
No, I will never forget 9/11. Is was because of Islamonazis. The same kind of 7th century blood feud nonsense that the Serbs seem to live for. Hate and hating. It always ends the same way. Innocent people lose their lives.
We just enjoy laughing at those who think appeasement will work in the war on terror.
So, do you guys always buddy up in defense of Jihad? You should try thinking about what your children’s lives will be like living as Dhimmis.
Yes, the same sort of people who used rape and murder to try to drive the Serbs, Jews, and Roma from Kosovo. Those are the people you now support.
Oh my...now you are calling all the haters on board. Good for you. I will let you and your ilk hate on....
Do you support Christian Churches?
This is how the Muslims in Kosovo treat them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkgHkxIfgBc
Run from the truth by calling it hate, you sound like the guys from MoveOn.org!
Of course I support Christian churches. What I don't support is the things some people do in the name of their church. Whether it is christian, muslim or jewish. Religious bigotry and hatred are not what religion is supposed to be about.
Why is yours the only “truth”? I am sure there are two sides to this...you only see one. Yours...and everyone is else wrong or dhimmis or whatever.
So, did you even view the clip?
You speak about truth but you didn’t even know about the terror campaign against the Serbs, Jews, and Roma. Were they supposed to lay there and just take it?
That’s what the Muslim wanted from them. Why is it you want them to lie down the same way?
That was a faster return than we usually see from someone stamping off in a huff. LOL!
“So, do you guys always buddy up in defense of Jihad? You should try thinking about what your children’s lives will be like living as Dhimmis.”
I can just see it, those cute blond kiddies carried off
to the hareems and the boys to some modern form of the Janissariat having been converted to Mohammedanism. And FL, they’ll have absolutely no idea whatsoever what to do about it. Someone like Bush will assure them that good Americans are good dhimmis and they’ll fall right in line.
I don’t know about you, FL, but I and mine will be safe and snug in our mountains. I even know where the old caves from the days of the Klephts and the Turkokratia are! :)
Like I said earlier, Silly Amerikanaki!
You might find the article at post #8 interesting —
Why are you angry at Gauchau??? Did you even read his post???
Obviously you have reading comprehension skill problems. In addition to the other issues you have. I never said I was leaving...I said I would leave you and your ilk to hate on. I am not afraid to debate with you...or your fellow haters.
At least I am an American...you envious?
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