Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Russia's NATO envoy warns alliance against overstepping mandate in Kosovo
Tha Canadian Press ^ | February, 22, 2008

Posted on 02/22/2008 12:14:12 PM PST by processing please hold

MOSCOW - Russia's envoy to NATO warned the alliance Friday against overstepping its mandate in Kosovo and said Moscow might be forced to use "brute military force" to maintain respect on the world scene.

Dmitry Rogozin said the Russian military also might get involved if all European Union nations recognize Kosovo's independence without United Nations agreement and despite strong objections from Russia and Serbia.

The comments were the latest harsh rhetoric from Moscow protesting Kosovo's declaration of independence, which has sparked violent protests in Serbia and international disagreement over whether to recognize the fledgling nation.

The comments also sparked quick reaction from the U.S. State Department, which urged Russia to repudiate them.

Rogozin couched his threat, however, assuring that Russia was not currently making plans for a military confrontation.

"If the European Union works out a single position or NATO goes beyond its current mandate in Kosovo, these organizations will conflict with the United Nations," Rogozin said in a televised hookup from NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

If that happens, Russia "will proceed from the assumption that to be respected, we have to use brute military force," he said.

The U.S. ambassador to NATO, meanwhile, said Washington was "very disappointed" by Russia's hostility over Kosovo, and Nicholas Burns, the U.S. State Dept.'s third-ranking official, called Rogozin's statement "highly irresponsible."

"This cynical and ahistorical comment by the Russian ambassador should be repudiated by his own government," Burns said responding to questions in an online discussion.

Later, Sergei Yastrzhembsky, Russia's envoy to the European Union, used a more conciliatory tone, saying the Kosovo problem should be resolved exclusively by political means.

Rogozin - an outspoken nationalist known for his tough rhetoric - told NATO that its 16,000 peacekeepers in Kosovo must "remain neutral" over the contentious declaration.

"Under no circumstances should the alliance get involved in politics," Rogozin said. However, Moscow already was alarmed by reports that authorities in Kosovo had closed the border with Serbia.

Local authorities patrol Kosovo's borders, but the main responsibility for security lies with NATO peacekeepers. On Friday, they sent back several busloads of Serbs seeking to join a rally in the Kosovo Serb stronghold of Kosovska Mitrovica.

Russia has staunchly supported Serbia's to Kosovo's secession, and has vowed to block any efforts in the United Nations to recognize its independence.

In what appeared to be a contradictory comment, Rogozin assured that "Russia was not planning to get involved in any armed confrontation over Kosovo."

"There will be no war between Russia and NATO over Kosovo," he said, though the Kosovo issue "will certainly hamper our dialogue."

Nations that recognized Kosovo's statehood had made "a strategic mistake, similar to the invasion of Iraq," he said.

Other Russian officials have called the recognition illegal and said it could effectively split Kosovo in half. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that Kosovo's secession could lead to regional instability.

More than a dozen nations have recognized Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia, including the United States, Britain, France and Germany. Russia has been joined in its opposition by China and others, including EU member Spain.

Rogozin called the violent protests that took place Thursday in the Serbian capital "national wrath that will be hard to curb," and criticized the West for making "a step toward a very cruel and emotional ethnic conflict" in the Balkans.

Predominantly ethnic Albanian Kosovo - which has been governed by a U.N. mission and patrolled by NATO peacekeepers since 1999 - had been widely expected to declare independence from Serbia after internationally mediated talks on its future fell apart last year.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: kosovo
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-82 next last
To: Tailgunner Joe
That’s not an option. Wishing doesn’t make it so.

And why shouldn't it be an option? We share more in common with the Russkies than we'll ever share even with the most westernized Muzzies.

As we fight the Russians, (even by proxy), we consequently allow the Muzzies further oppurtunities to advance their caliphate, much as occured in the first millenium AD when Western and Eastern Christendom were too busy fighting each other to resist the common enemy.

History repeats itself, first as tragedy and then as farce...again and again and again.

41 posted on 02/22/2008 2:37:41 PM PST by E. Cartman (Huckaboob will never be Vice President.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: E. Cartman

Ask Russia. They don’t want to be our friend, they want to help Iran kill our soldiers in Iraq. They are still burning from their humiliating defeat in the Cold War at the hand of Ronald Reagan. Their KGB leader Putin laments the collapse of the Soviet Union. He wants revenge for the loss of the EVIL EMPIRE he faithfully served all his adult life.


42 posted on 02/22/2008 2:46:50 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: MarMema

You are a sucker to think Putin will lift a finger to help the Serbs.


43 posted on 02/22/2008 2:49:21 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: microgood
"We are using them as pawns in a larger game of chess."

"Lady, I only play two games; Chess, and Bad Chess!" -- Political advisor Corbin Dallas

44 posted on 02/22/2008 2:52:07 PM PST by NicknamedBob (If straw man Obama hadn't been so active, Dorothy's water toss wouldn't have made Hillary melt down.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe; MarMema; TexConfederate1861

“Their KGB leader Putin laments the collapse of the Soviet Union. He wants revenge for the loss of the EVIL EMPIRE he faithfully served all his adult life.”

That may well be what motivates him. or perhaps he is motivated by a restoration of the Third Rome. Frankly, I have more confidence in the sincerity of Putin’s Orthodoxy than I do in that man Bush’s supposed Christianity. I’ve never seen Putin grovel in front of Mohammedans. Bush has raised that to an art form. Putin doesn’t disgrace Russia. The groveling Bush disgraces America almost every day.

Bottom line, as I said elsewhere, if I had to choose, which because Bush and his fellow travelers are finished politically is unlikely any time soon, I’d take the Third Rome of Holy Russia any day over centuries under the heel of the Mohammedan barbarians.


45 posted on 02/22/2008 2:54:54 PM PST by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Kolokotronis
Putin tried to legitimize suicide-bombing terrorists HAMAS (Islamic Resistance Movement) by inviting their representatives to the Kremlin. Putin even sent muslim Chechen "former rebels" to Lebanon as "peacekeepers" to help Hizballah wage jihad on Israel. It was under Putin that Russia officially joined the Organization of Islamic States. Putin explicitly ruled out any "Holy Alliance" with Christendom against Islam and said Russia was Islam's best friend in the world.

Vladmir Putin is the world's biggest dhimmi and slave of Islam. He is the source and enabler of islamofascism the world over.


46 posted on 02/22/2008 3:07:22 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Kolokotronis
Putin notes religious tolerance, peace-loving character of Russian Muslims - "Neighborliness, religious tolerance, peacefulness, justice, and care for friends have always been inherent to faithful Muslims in Russia notwithstanding ethnic origin or faith. These qualities are always lasting values."

Russia's Council of Muftis optimistic over future of independent Kosovo - "Kosovo has the right to exist as independent state. Today the joint cohabitation of Albanians and Serbians is impossible because of a long-sanding conflict between them. A lot of sacrifices were made," Nafigullah Ashirov, a co-chairman of the Russian Council of Muftis, told Interfax on Sunday.

47 posted on 02/22/2008 3:14:57 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: horse_doc; microgood
You both completely miss the point. Whom out there would support something different? McCain, Romney, Huckabee? Clinton, Obama, Edwards? Do you really believe that is would be different with someone other than G.W.?

Kosovo was destined to become an Independent state despite any U.N. Resolution an the NATO occupation since the late 1990's was a clear indication of that fact. Belgrade would never have control over that region again - The EU was and is addamant on that point. So it does not matter what Clinton, Bush or any future CIC would think - they are going to publicly support the policy of a greater EU - beacause that gets us one step closer to the goal. Make no mistake, they (The GOP and DNC) are all on the same page. It may sound like a conspiracy theory, but it is not. It is policy, policy that has been published for many years. (some call it globalism) Most people have been too busy to pay attention and when they do finally wake up and notice they assume there is a conspircacy afoot. But is really just a matter of so many people acting like Sheeple and actually being dumb enough to trust the SOB's they elected.

48 posted on 02/22/2008 3:18:37 PM PST by 7mmMag@LeftCoast (The DNC and Rino's: they put the CON into congress everyday.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Kolokotronis
LOL - see my reply to microgood.

Do you really believe that anything would be different with someone else in office? Of course we all know that a massive amount of oil dollars go to fund the Madras, Wahabist Sects and terrorist cells of both Shia and Sunni alignment. It has been that way since oil was first discovered in the middle east. But to $h*tmouth President Bush for the sins of all those that came before him and will come after him is useless.

Besides, that 8 years of Clinton's groveling and 4 years of Carter's groveling were no different. 4 or 8 more years of McCain, Obama, or Hillary groveling will make no change.

It will only change when the oil dries up, the money runs out and the Bedouin tribes are back to tents, camels and hacking each other up with their swords over who should have been the rightful Caliph.

So quit wasting our time spewing stupid rhetoric and come up with a viable solution. We desperatley need one and no one else seems to have the intellect or the balls to formulate a new plan.

I'm too busy with Halo 3 to bother with it right now.

49 posted on 02/22/2008 3:31:21 PM PST by 7mmMag@LeftCoast (The DNC and Rino's: they put the CON into congress everyday.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

Thanks for the reply. It makes no sense politically, historically and culturally for the Russkies and ourselves to keep repeating the same mistakes countless times.


50 posted on 02/22/2008 3:32:54 PM PST by E. Cartman (Huckaboob will never be Vice President.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
The evil empire is long gone--hail the new evil empire and you haven't gotten the word yet


Putin..? Ooops i mean Bush and masters

51 posted on 02/22/2008 3:44:02 PM PST by eleni121 (+ En Touto Nika! By this sign conquer! + Constantine the Great)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: 7mmMag@LeftCoast

“So quit wasting our time spewing stupid rhetoric and come up with a viable solution. We desperatley need one and no one else seems to have the intellect or the balls to formulate a new plan.”

Piece of cake. Spend billions coming up with an alternative energy source instead of building legacies punctuated with the smoking ruins of Christian churches and pay offs to jihadis. And, 7, its not stupid rhetoric. Americans and Orthodox Christians are dead because of Bush’s embrace of the jihadis and his insane foreign policy. Believe me, I don’t excuse Clinton. I was in the Balkans when the bombs were dropping on Belgrade. I loath him and his witch of a wife and all of their fellow travelers, including the traitors in the State Department now and then and what they did down there.

There is nothing about Bush’s evil foreign policy which makes it appropriate simply because he claims to be a Republican any more than Clinton’s could be blessed by the name “Democrat”. That’s the sort of foolishness that gets Americans killed for elites here and abroad.


52 posted on 02/22/2008 3:46:09 PM PST by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: processing please hold

Where will Greater Albania strike next?

Presevo Valley

Macedonia

Montenegro

Epirus

53 posted on 02/22/2008 3:53:18 PM PST by F-117A (Mr. Bush, have someone read UN Resolution 1244 to you!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kolokotronis

Spend billions coming up with an alternative energy source instead of building legacies punctuated with the smoking ruins of Christian churches and pay offs to jihadis.


BINGO!


54 posted on 02/22/2008 3:53:21 PM PST by eleni121 (+ En Touto Nika! By this sign conquer! + Constantine the Great)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: TexConfederate1861
“The next war will be caused by some damned fool thing in the Balkans!”

Otto Von Bismarck, Chancellor of Germany

He sure knew Germanic policies and proclivities!

55 posted on 02/22/2008 3:56:13 PM PST by F-117A (Mr. Bush, have someone read UN Resolution 1244 to you!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Kolokotronis
Alternative energy source = PWR, Pressurized Water Reactors. The navy has a damn good record with PWR's, they are a lot safer than the TMI or Chernobyl types and they are a helluva a lot more green than oil or coal fired plants.

Besides if you are going to have cars running on hydrogen then nuclear power is the only viable option.

I just think you are putting too much energy in villifying Bush, when the real culprits are those that form the leadership of both parties - they are all on the same page.

56 posted on 02/22/2008 4:31:52 PM PST by 7mmMag@LeftCoast (The DNC and Rino's: they put the CON into congress everyday.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: 7mmMag@LeftCoast

“...the real culprits are those that form the leadership of both parties - they are all on the same page.”

I am 100% in agreement with that!


57 posted on 02/22/2008 5:25:29 PM PST by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Kolokotronis
Bottom line, as I said elsewhere, if I had to choose, which because Bush and his fellow travelers are finished politically is unlikely any time soon, I’d take the Third Rome of Holy Russia any day over centuries under the heel of the Mohammedan barbarians.

You are correct. Moreover, although we westerners often fail to live up to the standards posed to us by our Judaeo-Christian tradition, the Russkies included, at last we don't adhere to divine writ, The Qur'an, that intentionally reduces other human beings to second class status and misery.

I'm no apologists for the Russkies, but I fear the blood-stained hands of the ROP a whole lot more than I do the third Rome.

58 posted on 02/22/2008 6:05:55 PM PST by E. Cartman (Huckaboob will never be Vice President.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: 7mmMag@LeftCoast

For one thing he kept American troops there.


59 posted on 02/22/2008 6:12:29 PM PST by sport
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: 7mmMag@LeftCoast
Kosovo was destined to become an Independent state despite any U.N. Resolution an the NATO occupation since the late 1990's was a clear indication of that fact. Belgrade would never have control over that region again - The EU was and is addamant on that point. So it does not matter what Clinton, Bush or any future CIC would think - they are going to publicly support the policy of a greater EU - beacause that gets us one step closer to the goal. Make no mistake, they (The GOP and DNC) are all on the same page.

If your point is that Bush cannot stop globalization because that is just policy, I do not buy it. He is responsible for what foreign policy decisions are made under his watch. Maybe we need a president whose goal is not globalization and wants to have moral foreign policy where we do not interfere with sovereign countries.

Maybe we need a jolt from a leader that cares about America first to move our foreign policy in a better direction, but if Bush has his head up his a*s like he does on this issue, we are all within our rights to call him on it.

You may see it as serving no purpose, but I have not heard you come up with an alternative. Seems we have about 7000 troops we could pull out of that region if we want to, especially since an independent Kosovo with made up of two distinct and warring groups will require a permanent presence by NATO.
60 posted on 02/22/2008 6:50:29 PM PST by microgood
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-82 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson