Serbia Threatens New War

[Purveyor]

Source: RIA Novosti

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Yelena Shesternina) - In a recent onslaught against the Kosovo Albanians, the Serbian authorities have gone over from strong albeit diplomatic statements to threats.

If Kosovo declares independence unilaterally, Belgrade will take extreme measures - seal the borders, impose a trade embargo and return its troops to the province to restore Serbia's territorial integrity.

Dusan Prorokovic, Serbia's state secretary for Kosovo, said this in an interview with the Serbian media, which was promptly re-printed by The New York Times. If he had made this statement at a regular session of the Serbian cabinet, it could have been passed for routine domestic debates, but now it may cause a major row not only between Belgrade and Pristina, but also between Russia and the West.

True, the Serbian officials were quick to refute this statement. First, Serbian Charge d'Affairs to Russia Jelica Kurjak said in Moscow that Serbia was not going to make war with anyone, and that both the president and the prime minister had expressed this position many times. Later, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Yeremic spoke much in the same vein.



Read more: http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20070910/77743912.html

[MadMaddie]

1. Well since we currently don't have real Diplomats only

wannabe's....War is going to break out all around the World and the US has been neutred by this Administration...The US does not have the troops or the ability to respond....

oh is their Oil over there? Then maybe!

[Purveyor]

2. Indeed all the ingredients are there for a "world at war". Who would have even pondered it

in the mid-90's?

[fujiyama]

15. I'm not even sure if they're diplomatic wannabes

Just really, really, bad actors.

[smirkymonkey]

3. Great - everybody's hopping on the bandwagon.

We set such a great example for the world to follow. :sarcasm: :nuke:

[whistle]

4. U.S. Dyplomacy under the leadership of Secreary of State Rice is a sham

[Purveyor]

5. Secretary of State...who? We actually have one? Who knew besides you... eom

[Odin2005]

6. The Serbians are asking to get their asses kicked again?

Nationalists are stupid, throw rocks at them. :crazy:

[Posteritatis]

7. How'd that work out last time again?

And correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't NATO still have troops in the area?

[David__77]

8. Kosovo is an integral part of the Republic of Serbia.

It is an odd situation when supranational bodies are parceling out the territory of sovereign states.

[Parmenion]

9. By your logic Serbia shouldn't exist

Serbia was an intergral part of Yugoslavia, yet now its an independent nation. There is nothing morally, or legally wrong, with Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and FYROM splitting away from Yugoslavia and declaring independence. Furthermore, Serbia allowed Montenegro to secede and by that precedent Kosovo should be able to also. Most important, Serbia lost moral authority to possess Kosovo when the Serbian state conducted ethnic cleansing of the region. Note, Kosovo itself needs to ensure the rights of Serbian minorities in the northern parts of Kosovo (many of whom were forced out of Kosovo).

[David__77]

11. You treat the rights of ethnic Serbs as an aside.

Why is it "ethnic cleansing" when the Serbs do it, but it is "forcing out" when the ethnic Albanians do it? Haven't there been abuses on both sides?

I personally do think the breakup with the SFRY was a bad thing for regional stability and multi-national harmony. Nationalism is terrible. Milosevic was certainly guilty of that sin. But so are the KLA types. Is there no end to the Balkanization and destruction of sovereign states?

[Posteritatis]

10. Yeah, who cares what the Kosovars think? (nt)

[Odin2005]

12. So the Albanians in Kosovo have no right no self-determination?

[David__77]

13. It's a tricky question.

Do the indigenous Hawaiians have that right? Through what means shall it be enforced? Does Quebec have that right? Should only ethnic Albanians have a say? There are a lot of questions to be asked, at a minimum.

[TheLastMohican]

17. That's a good question

which opens a whole can of worms.

The illegal Mexicans one day may also declare California a separate state. Which side you will be on?
This is a street with a both way traffic, USA shouldn't meddle in internal Serbian affairs. Let the EU do it.

[fujiyama]

14. Well this time around

we neither have the moral high ground or the troops to stop anything from happening...

[Thothmes]

16. Serbia

IMO that we should let the Europeans sort this one out.

[JVS]

18. Let the EU deal with it since they think they're such hot shit

[razorman]

19. Agreed. They should have handled it the first time around, too.

We have absolutely no national interest there, and we keep sticking our nose where it doesn't belong.

[rayofreason]

20. Russia...

..will back Serbia, if push comes to shove.

Maybe everyone should wait seven years, then have a centennial.