Efforts to negotiate a normalization of ties between Serbia and Kosovo have ended in failure today, with EU officials calling it quits after 12 hours of talks yielded no real progress. Both governments remained willing to engage in further talks, but the EU has refused to call any more, at least for the time being.
Kosovo has traditionally been part of Serbia, though a multi-century occupation by the Ottoman Empire led to a division between the ethnically Serb north and the mostly Albanian southern portion. NATO attacked Serbia in 1999 and declared Kosovo independent afterwards, a move Serbia did not recognize.
The future for NATO occupied but nominally “independent” Kosovo has not been straightforward, with the Kosovar Serbs in the northern cities still insisting they never wanted to break away from Serbia, and the Albanian-dominated government launching multiple crackdowns to prevent northerners from trading with neighboring Serbian towns. The US has been browbeating Serbia since the war to accept the new borders exactly as drawn, insisting they will never allow any change.
Indications from Serbian officials are that they were open to a “compromise” deal whereby they would recognize the NATO-mandated borders but Kosovo would grant the north a degree of autonomy, as well as a pledge not to deploy their military against ethnic Serbian towns. In effect, this would model Northern Kosovo along the lines of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Serbian officials say that the proposals were a non-starter for the Kosovar Albanian officials, who insist autonomy would violate their sovereignty. EU officials are suggesting that the lack of a final deal could keep Serbia from joining the EU, and Kosovo officials seem to be counting on that threat being enough to force Serbia to eventually give in on all demands.
I'm not so sure being a part of the EU is the best thing right now, right Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Ireland?
The US likes the status quo. This ensures division and hatred between Serbs and Albanians, so they don't focus on their own disintegrating societies.
The Serbs should surrender all they have and accept what the EU is offering them. Not that any reasonable person should endorse this reasoning, but the Serbs have proved to be entirely self-destructive culture, therefore reason does not apply. In the final analysis by losing Kosovo the Serbs have lost their identity. Therefore, hurtling towards a disaster called EU should come as no surprise.
By now the Serbs have lost what was worth fighting and living for. From here on they have little they can call their own. Enslaving themselves to the EU may be a Divine plan for them.
Good analysis. I think the idea that both sides are using EU membership as a bargaining counter against the other is right, but, of course, that goes to show just how important EU membership is perceived as being.
Of all the western sources I read on Kosovo issue — this article is by far the clearest and most concise summary of Kosovo past and present. Future, however, is not clear.
Thank you for this article, it is interesting to note this section. "would violate their sovereignty". There is a lot more at stake that just culture, religion or language or territory. Why the double standards? Who violated Serbian sovereignty in the first place? UN resolution 1244 was meant to be adhered to, yet the. UN is the court jester to the US. The principle at stake here is that of international law and norms, or should I say lack of, given Iraq, Libya and others. The Serbian government is in "I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't" situation. What intrigues me the most, the Serbian government is headed by Nikolic, who had wanted Russian bases in Serbia back in 2007. An amazing change of tune, what's the promised carrot like to have brought back this shift? Surely it can't be the eu? It's a bit like a rat trying to join a sinking ship, as the first commenter pointed out. Maybe it's time for Serbia to consider BRICS.
How Yugoslavia was destroyed did not represent democracy in anyway . Only Germany first favored independenc of the minotities . German control of the Balkans has been a century long German dream . If outside forces had stayed out of Yugoslavia and a vote of all the people at the same time would have probably left Yugoslavia in tack . The borders of these independant republics were setup by Hitler , They were designed to benifit the people loyal to the nazis . Russia China and India just don't believe this is right . We must understand the biggest majority of the worlds people do not condone what has happend to the largest ethnic groupe in Yugoslavia being chased out of their own country . I know the world has heard the opposite story , Where the Serbs were supposed to be ethnic cleansing the minorities . This did not turn out to be true . The Truth was more the minorities were ethnic cleansing the Serbs , with German , Al Qaida and American help . The war against Yugoslavia was even conducted with more lies and false propaganda than the great victory of liberating Iraq ..
Good article. The delay is somehow better considering the world situation.
EU is enslavement for the Serbs considering the history with Germany
in last WARS. We all remember. Why the West is always searching for their
allies some of the worst kind in the Balkans? What a success is to have now 'narco state in middle of the europe'. The crime pays.
To Eric Siverson: I am glad to see more and more non Serbs learning the
real truth about the 'Balkan crisis' provoked by the same enemies and blaming the victim. I am signing here as a twice refuge from Croatia in same same century.