US and Yugoslavia agree independence for Kosovo is out of the question

Tanjug | June 19 2002

[The Big Dog]

Washington, June 19, 2002 - Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Coordinating centre for Kosovo-Metohija Nebojsa Covic said that a Yugoslav delegation and US officials agreed that independence of Kosovo is out of the question, since it would provoke new clashes in southeast Europe.

The themes of the meeting were current problems in Kosovo: return of the Serbs, safety, freedom of movement, and means of creating a sustainable common approach in resolving these problems, said Covic to the Voice of America after talking to American senators, congressmen, State Department officials, and Director for Eastern Europe in the US President's National Security Council Greg Schulte, the Tanjug news agency reported.

"It was pointed out that independence for Kosovo is out of the question, and I reiterated our determination to oppose any division of Kosovo or its towns, " said Covic. "We can make some compromises in order to ensure co-existence in Kosovo, but the multiethnicity has to be such that all ethnic communities are equal and enabled to live in peace."

Covic also said that the authorities in Belgrade have nothing to hide about Kosovo. "We have no reason to conceal anything. We have a very clear attitude and strong concept. We want to be told where we've failed, and also to be explained why and how we have failed. There's no need to hide behind false reports, " said Covic.

Covic is on a two day visit to Washington, where he's already spoken to congressmen and representatives of the State Department and National Security Council.

[The Big Dog]

bump

[meenie]

What do we do, keep them in an occupation mode indefinitely?

[McGavin999]

Now, that is an interesting outcome.

[Enemy Of The State]

Um, Im sorry, can you tell me again just who the United States government is to decide the fate and freedom of another country?

[The Big Dog]

The US isn't trying to decide the fate of anything. Now that Milosevic is out of the picture, the US (or the entire west for that matter) has no excuse not to support Yugoslavia/Serbia 100%. Despite what some think, the US does not want to keep troops in Kosovo for the rest of eternity.

[Kate22]

Big Dog - Nato and the US should never have got involved in the first place. Diplomacy had not been exhausted at Shambouillet, but that's a whole different issue.

"We can make some compromises in order to ensure co-existence in Kosovo, but the multiethnicity has to be such that all ethnic communities are equal and enabled to live in peace." [Covic]

This sounds so reasonable, but we all know that this is the sticking point. The hardline Albanians (i.e. pro KLA & independence) see this as payback time. They 'won' the war and lost lives, and they therefore 'won' independence in all but name. Nato and the UN are firmly ensconced on the fence, and will do anything not to commit to this issue.

But sooner or later (and the time is approaching) Serbia will rightly push for its people, mostly currently refugees, to be allowed to return to their province within their own country.

The moment that Serbs return in any number to Kosovo and/or independence is taken off the agenda as a possibility, is the moment when all hell breaks loose. This won't only be in Kosovo, but also elsewhere in Southern Serbia and in Macedonia. Just at the time that troop numbers are being reduced.

The only way forward is for Nato to work with the Serbian government and openly declare that Kosovo will not be made independent. Better to face it now than leave it to brew, not just for the sake of the Balkans but for the whole of Europe.

[Voronin]

I'd like to see this come from a Western news source. Excuse the paranoia, but we all know that some news is 'tailored' for certain cleavages. Note that in the report there is no quote from any US official backing up the assertions made by Covic. I want to hear a clear statement. So far, there has been nothing...

VRN

[vooch]

The moment that Serbs return in any number to Kosovo and/or independence is taken off the agenda as a possibility, is the moment when all hell breaks loose

not so fast with the predictions. If the KLA is still allowed to run amok, there will be chaos fer sure.......but if UNMIK/Kfor continue to arrest and hold KLA leaders, then loyalist and moderate people can come to the forefront agains w/o fear of getting murdered by the KLA.......so, if Kfor does their job, then one may find a return of the government may not be as difficult as one may think.

[Kate22]

I hope that you're right - that would be the best solution but KFOR and UNMIK haven't exactly instilled confidence so far. Imagine how many Serbs, Albanians, Roma and others would have been saved the KLA free-for-all if they'd been genuinely disarmed and disbanded in the first place.

[Kate22]

...actually, thinking about it, KFOR has to arrest people far higher up the chain to make that sort of impact. They needs to arrest the Thacis and Cekus etc.

[Banat]

Notice the painfully obvious absence of KLA"Brit" on this thread? :-))

[Kate22]

Here he is... fresh from pasting verbatim transcripts of that Mr [not-so] Nice from the Hague and calling it fact.

A'Brit' - seems like your friends aren't going to win their territory after all. What say you?

[ABrit]

I think that there will be a referendum in Kosovo on the matter, and the majority will have their way.

Kate, sorry you didn't like the evidence from the Hague, but happily it's not up to you.

[vooch]

I like the idea of a referendum, all citizens who aren't felons can vote.......Just like in my town

[Kate22]

The whole point is that it is just the 'evidence' from one side in a supposed criminal trial. Up until the verdict all evidence is just 'alleged' in any kind of case.

[ABrit]

You are right for once, although you'll probably wish you hadn't been. It is for the Judges to decide on what they accept as evidence, especially if there is a dispute, but if testimony made is unrebutted, as is the case with so much of this, then that will inevitably become evidence.

What you don't seem to realise is that the prosecution has put loads of testimony in writing, only a small part of it is mentioned in court. The summaries which I have posted are the tip of the iceberg. Milosevic has not been able to effectively dispute much of this testimony, indeed most of the time he does not even try. He is making speeches to the Serbs at home, playing to that audience. It does him no good at all in Court. I've lost count of times Judge May has pointed out to Milosevic that he has used up a load of his allotted time, but has only got to paragraph two of the witnesses written statement.

If Milosevic's object was to fight these charges on a legal basis, then he is a fool to represent himself. However that has never been his object. He is still playing the role of the great dictator, still trying to spread his propaganda. It will do him no good, he will be found guilty on all charges, and he will only delay the time when the Serbs are forced to come to terms with their criminality.

[Kate22]

You don't have a clue and of course I realise that this is not the total Prostecution case. I have watched the trial from the start, have read all testimony and am extremely familar with the rules and decisions.

Milosevic was extremely clever to refuse to recognise the court. After the initial shock that he would not just lie down and roll over (as expected) there followed the further shock that broader leeway had to be given to him as a defendant who is defending himself.

By the way, let me point two things out to you. Firstly, there were far more people in the world than the 'Serbs' who were against Nato's state attack on Serbia. There was heavyweight opposition throughout the world, and many nations were against the action including India, China, Russia... these are part of the real 'international community' (which is now redefined in the same way that 'mass graves' have been).

Secondly, your smugness about a nation of people having to answer for their leaders (alleged) crimes is very short-sighted and arrogant. As a nation Britain (your adopted country) has blood on its hands, as has all other Nato countries. The difference is that there is real evidence of Nato's crimes, but they were on the 'right' side. Anyone who believes the moralistic claptrap drummed up to justify this attack must be lacking in the brains department.

[ABrit]

I think we'll have to start referring to Slobbo as "sicknote". The poor love is feeling a bit unwell. Frankly I'm not supprised. I think he is heading for the loonybin.

[Kate22]

You may finally get to meet him then!