US: Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia- the unfinished businesses in Balkans

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US: Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia- the unfinished businesses in Balkans
26/04/2006

(Athens, DTT-NET.COM)- US government top officials said that a lot of unfinished issues still remain in Western Balkan region related to Bosnia and Herzegovina future, democratisation of Serbia and especially the Kosovo status.

"There are important decisions that will have to be taken about how to move forward on the Balkans. We are watching the evolution of Bosnia-Herzegovina toward a more normal state and trying to support that at the same time that we try and encourage the continued democratization of Serbia and Montenegro and try to determine how to think about the future of Kosovo," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters on Tuesday in Greek capital, Athens.

Rice said she is to discuss the three issues with EU and NATO colleagues this week.

"Of course, when you think about where the Balkans was 15 years ago, it's night and day. And now there is still a good deal of unfinished business in the Balkans. As I said, continuing the process of democratization is extremely important. The issue of a European horizon for the countries of the Balkans is also at issue" she added.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently undergoing the revision of its 1995 constitution and is being pushed by US and EU to make necessary changes of the key document in order as Washington and Brussels say, to strengthen its central institutions.

Serbia is faced with the fate of Montenegro as on 21 May Montenegrins are to decide whether the smaller republic to remain in state union with Serbia or become independent state. Belgrade is also facing the fate of Kosovo this year, with Ethnic Albanian majority of UN administrated territory insisting on independence.

Rice said that US is involved very closely at the current process of negotiations on Kosovo future under auspices of UN special envoy Martti Ahtissari.

"And I think what we need to do is to support Special Representative Ahtisaari in his work. I know that these are very delicate issues and we want both a democratic and a stable Balkans. That's the real goal before us. That is going to require a realistic assessment of what the final status can be. But I think it is appropriate to have discussions go on for a while to see what the parties can - the interested parties can- come to on their own," she said.

US has appointed its own envoy (Frank Wisner) working together with Ahtissari in order to achieve a solution which Rice said must contribute to the stability in the region.

"We have appointed to help with that work with American Special Envoy Frank Wiesner, a very dedicated and experienced diplomat who is working with Mr.Ahtissari and consulting the parties, discussing with the members of the - the states that have been active in the situation. I've talked with my Russian colleague (Sergey Lavrov) about this and I think we're going to have many other conversations, but the goal here has to be a final status outcome that is - that contributes to a democratic and stable Balkans. "

Current talks between Kosovo and Serbia politicians are focused on the self-rule powers for Serbian minority at municipal level. Ahtissari has said that at the second phase of the talks the issue of status will be tackled.

UK and US officials have indicated that independence is the likely settlement which both (London and Washington) are to support.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1761545,00.html

Barbed wire and bridges

The Balkans will continue to fragment unless the EU makes cooperation a condition of membership

Gyula Hegyi
Wednesday April 26, 2006
The Guardian


Dolce Vita is a small cafe in Kosovska Mitrovica, on the Serbian side of the city. It is on the river bank, in front of the bridge leading to the Albanian part. Sometimes the bridge is opened to traffic, other times it is barricaded with barbed wire and tanks of the French gendarmerie. After decades of the cold war, Berlin is now united, but those with nostalgia for its wall have only to travel to Kosovska Mitrovica. It is a city divided into two hostile parts.

The former Yugoslavia is split into ever smaller units. Where once there was one country, now there are five states, plus smaller entities clamouring for independence or at least complete autonomy. This chain of mini-states and enclaves lacks economic viability, but is rich in well-paid "ministers" and "parliamentarians". Ethnic Albanians in Kosovo were oppressed by Milosevic, so the US and its European allies bombed the so-called smaller Yugoslavia.

Now Milosevic is dead, the name of Yugoslavia exists only in history books, and the Serbs have been expelled from the larger part of Kosovo. Pristina, freed from Serbian rule by the Americans, became a 100% Albanian and Muslim city. The twin symbols of the city are the wondrous new mosque, built with Saudi money, and a local replica of New York's Statue of Liberty, painted pink. The veil and huge American billboards go hand in hand in this part of the world, where Muslims still admire the United States.

Albanians in Kosovo want an independent state, while its Serbs are afraid of the Albanians and prefer to remain part of Serbia. Under international law Kosovo still belongs to Serbia. The aim of the 1999 war was, at least officially, to establish the rule of law and democracy. Serbia is a democratic country now, and it would be wrong to break international law by taking away its province against its will. If we accept that state frontiers can be changed by wars, and new states created by bombing, then we risk opening a Pandora's box. On the other hand, the ethnic Albanians have good reasons for not wanting to live under Serbian rule. And Kosovo's ethnic Serbian community does not want to live under Albanian rule, also with reason. So is the answer to create one Kosovo for the Albanians and a smaller one for Serbs?

There is only one viable long-term solution. All states, regions and entities of the former Yugoslavia want to join the EU. And the EU can build upon that ambition. It should make cooperation between the small western Balkan countries the most important criterion of any enlargement in the Balkans. It would be silly to start talks with one or two small states that are not ready to have good relationships with their neighbours.

Croatia and Macedonia are on track for EU membership. Two other countries wish to join as well: Bosnia and Herzegovina, with its three ethnic communities - Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats - who don't want to live together in one state; and Serbia and Montenegro plus Kosovo, where some of the Montenegrins and most of the Albanians want an independent state. If all the separatist dreams were to be met, that would mean six new states instead of two.

Europe's response should be: "Look, we want you, but all together. If you can create two loose federations in which every entity has its own rights, if you can cooperate in a smaller union, then you are more than welcome in our bigger union as well. But do not think that one entity can join earlier than the others, just because of its war record."

We want to create real peace in the Balkans, not new frustrations by selecting the good guys against the bad ones. As far as the economy and infrastructure go, there are no real differences between these two federations. The EU should, therefore, start the pre-accession process on the principle of equal chances for all.

A loose federation should include Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and an autonomous Vojvodina inside Serbia. Respect for the rights of all nations and religions, autonomy in internal affairs, and a common strategy for EU accession and foreign affairs would be necessary. The Vienna talks on the future of Kosovo, which began earlier this year, should lay the basis for a new, creative structure for the future. An independent Kosovo or Montenegro with hostile minorities would regenerate the old conflict, while a new EU-backed form of coexistence could stabilise the region.

· Gyula Hegyi is a Hungarian Socialist MEP
ghegyi@europarl.eu.int