It's not on the list I copied below, but China should be added to the "against" list. While I understand the motivations of China, Russia and Cyprus to a certain extent, I have to say I'm a little surprised to see Spain aligning itself with the aforementioned, and against its European neighbors. I'll show my ignorance and admit I assume that has to do mostly with their own problems with the Basques. I'll go ahead and assume to that even though Bush has been very outspoken already in his support of Pristina, he will get roasted for it, because somehow this will come around to being his fault in the first place. STANCE ON RECOGNITION For: Germany, Italy, France, UK, Austria, US, Turkey, Albania, Afghanistan Against: Russia, Spain, Romania, Slovakia, Cyprus Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7252512.stm
They stole the land from Serbia and UN USA alliance made it happen. Just like the stolen land of Israel from Palestine. Except in this Kosovo scenario, UN USA alliance made a correct approach in warfare...they killed off most of their opponents. Bombs sent from the skies teared down their cities, UN soldiers shot the resistance...and they managed to kill off the opposition. Their blood filled river Ibar. Albanians now rein on the land of Serbs, Albanians now made their independence international, upon the crumbled blood filled ground.
Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/world/europe/19serbs.html?hp
15ofthe19 From what I herd this afternoon your right, spain is worried about there own spertists gaining suport because of this. Im interested to see Turkey on the for list, i had thought they would be against for the same reason. I wonder what the position of our own goverment is to this and even the sheep rooters
As usual spell check wont even come up with the correct word (thats why i dont bother using those stupid programs, if i need something proof read i get a HUMAN to do it), a Rebel, independence surporter/fighter whatever
Spain has its own separatist movement, so I am not surprised by their position. Kosovo is an odd region. From an emotional standpoint, it is like the "Alamo" of the Serbs. It's remembered as the place where the Serbs fought a noble, but hopeless battle, preferring death to capitulation. Imagine the uproar if people of Mexican descent flooded Texas, and then after a few decades claimed independence from the U.S., taking the Alamo with them. We fought a war over the right to secede and the "you can't" side won. I think U.S. recognition is based on an it's-okay-for-you-but-not-over-here sense that some (like Mexican and other separatists movements in the U.S., who definitely do exist) might call hypocritical (especially if based on our view "But, we're the good guys!"). Either that, or perhaps it's based on an realpolitik sense that it's in the U.S.'s long term interest to shut that region up, and giving Kosovo independence is an easy first step in that, given that the Serbs do not have the wherewithal to challenge it. Still, we need to be prepared for Serb separatists terrorists in Kosovo now, and for mass killings of Serbs.
Could someone outline the History of this chunk of land? Why does one side deserve it and why does the other side think they deserve it. Who were there first?
Nice parallel with Alamo, Pandaemoni. What is disputable is that Kosovo never was a country actually, just a province created during the communist reign to destabilize and weaken Serbia. (Common proverb among Yugoslavian politicians in those times were "If you want strong Yugoslavia, you must have weak Serbia"). So, besides Kosovo with dominant Albanian population, another province on the north has been created: Vojvodina, with a large percent of Hungarian citizens. This is definitely a predecent, and that's why this independence is dangerous in one hand. This means that every region in the World (not necessarily being an autonomy) can declare independence from country it belongs to. Reasons can be not only ethnic, but also economic. There are opened problems now with similar provinces as Euskadi (Basque) or Catalunya in Spain, Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, Quebec in Canada, North Cyprus,... Or real countries such as Scotland or Northern Ireland. Now Texas can ask its right for independence, but Texas is country, it has right to declare independence from USA. Mexicans now have right to ask independence from USA for their country California. Right for independence from USA now has Second Vermont Republic as well. In short, everyone... But let's back to the Kosovo question. There is not enough Serbs left on Kosovo to start separatist movement. Most of the Serbs have been exiled through the centuries, and especially during the communist reign 1945-1991. Last banishment was pretty massive, when NATO forces occupied the Kosovo territory in 1999. On the other hand, Albanians will restrain from violence, commited in previous years (especially on 17. February 2004 - Ironic isn't it) when they burned houses of the Serbs, Serbian medieval monasteries (even those protected by UNESCO) and forced Serb citizens to leave the province... Albanians now have their country. They won't perform any violence, in order to look good in the eyes of those who granted their independence and who helped them on that way. Possible consequences: Some provinces will get their independence, but some won't. It depends on one factor - Money. Albanians had the strong lobby and (maybe this will sound harsh) 'heroin money' that bought them an independence. Serbia has been marked with a 'Bad Guys' etiquette, when it decided instead of capitulation, to show some guts to US and NATO bombs in 1999. Serbia was the first European nation bombed after the WWII, although being an Ally in both World Wars. Money buys independence. So, Basque will never be independent, because Spain can pay a lobbyists and can pay other governments to dismiss independence idea. But South Ossetia maybe will have an independence and Northern Cyprus for sure. But, will Mexicans ever get their independence for California or will ever Thomas H. Naylor succeed to raise the flag of freedom and declare Second Vermont Republic independent from USA? They have right now. Bush, Sarkozi, Brown and others who supported Kosovo's independence started the wheel that will crush world order we know. Respond to Michael who asked about history facts (thanks joepistole for the Wiki link): State of Serbia has been created on Kosovo. Taking the Kosovo from Serbia, is taking the history, culture and tradition from one proud and old European nation. It's like stealing the Independence Hall from USA, Bastille from France or Westminster of Greenwich from England. Even more greater. It's stealing the core and the meaning. The heart and the soul of Serbia.
As far as I know, they had Government constituted in 1999. (when NATO arrived) consisted only of Albanians. Or huge percentage.
Albanians basically invaded part of a country of Serbia, first they caused collapse of Yugoslavia, and now they proclaimed their so called "independence" and NATO is behind all this... how in the world is this supported by anyone? These guys took over another country, caused so much trouble and now they are causing even more havoc than before...
yugoslavia would have callapesed no matter what their were to many ethnic groups in conflict there for it to stay together
