recently revived public debate about the possible interchanges of the Kosovo knot. Again increasing the activity of the United States and the European Union, which seek to close the settlement, competing for a leading role in this process. In this case, as it happened in the past, they often do not take into account the opinion of all parties involved, which puts into question the possibility of finding a fair solution. In order to avoid new errors, it is useful to look back to the recent past – and examine the sad experience of external intervention in the region. We also believe it important to Express our General assessment of the current state of Affairs and to outline the policy approaches to issues of the Kosovo settlement.
the Unresolved problem of Kosovo for more than twenty years, prevents full stabilization of the Western Balkan region, leads to new outbursts of tension. “Time bomb” was founded in a time when Western countries who bombed Yugoslavia in 1999, set a goal to ensure the independence of the region in circumvention of international law. This was done under the cynical guise of “multi-variant” or with the consent of Belgrade, or without it. In other words, the voice of Serbia initially were not taken into account. A flawed approach grossly violates resolution 1244 of the UN security Council, is aimed solely at meeting the separatist aspirations of the Kosovars.
In 2008, when Pristina spur of the moment declared independence, Moscow and Belgrade strongly urged that the negotiating capacity as if exhausted. This ignored the calls of Russia and Serbia, including at the highest level, to continue negotiations, to finally put at the forefront of international law, resolution 1244 of the UN security Council. After just a couple of years, the development of the situation forced to return to the idea of resumption of dialogue. Brussels acted as a mediator, the UN General Assembly resolution 64/298 in 2010 is approved.
Over the intervening years, the international community has been convinced that the chances of developing a viable solution can only give the solver in compliance with resolution 1244 of the UN security Council with a balanced, real interests of the parties.
the Concept of the self-proclaimed “sovereignty” of Kosovo failed. Neither in the Balkans nor in Europe nor in other parts of the world it does not enjoy unanimous support. About half of the States members of the United Nations does not recognize the notorious Kosovo “statehood”, and the number of such countries is growing. More capitals imbued with the awareness of all the harmful (including myself) created the Kosovo precedent of forceful interference in the Affairs of an independent state under false pretenses. Failure Kosovo’s independence, vividly highlights the situation in the region.
In Kosovo, the political chaos reigns: the local parties have been engaged in the unscrupulous struggle for power, intrigue, mutual accusations and clan feuds against the backdrop of economic decline and rampant crime. In these conditions, “state-building”, which is so like to talk to local leaders and their foreign sponsors, turned into fiction.
widespread in Kosovo of the criminal elements involved in terrorist groups in the middle East, especially in Syria, and also with criminal networks in the Balkans and in other parts of Europe, testifies to the transformation of the region with a rich historical and cultural heritage in the lair of the criminals and thugs of all stripes.
But is it any wonder if in Pristina power elite entrenched former leaders of the “Kosovo Liberation army”? To investigate some of them atrocities, including murder and kidnapping for the purpose of illegal trafficking in human organs, in due time at the initiative of the EU on the basis of the report of PACE Deputy D. martí was created by the Special court. We continue to expect that this body of justice will bring charges against criminals.
Normalization should contribute to the international presence. This, unfortunately, is not happening. The Kosovo force years behave passively in terms of ensuring the safety of the Serbs. But this is their main task. One consequence of this constraint is the worsening of the situation of conservation located in the region of shrines of the Serbian Orthodox Church. To ensure their protection, we need a vigorous, targeted efforts, UNESCO, the OSCE and the Council of Europe.
the Effectiveness of the UN Mission interim administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), whose mandate is defined by resolution 1244 of the UN security Council leaves much to be desired. It’s hard to expect otherwise when Pristina shamelessly ignores this decision of the Security Council. The West is openly a blind eye to the actions of the Kosovars condone their arrogant behavior, pulls the brakes on the facts of intimidation of United Nations personnel. Against this background of deep concern is the fact that the usurped object “Bondsteel”, which was created as peacekeepers, but was turned into a closed zone and a place for the training of Kosovo’s “armed forces.” Actually we are talking about kind of the renewal of the “Kosovo Liberation Army” unleashed at the end of the 1990s conflict that became the prologue to the separation from Serbia.
still the question remains about the responsibility of NATO for the use in Serbia, especially in Kosovo of depleted uranium munitions during the bombing of 1999. The local population continues to suffer massively from the last��tvy radioactive contamination, its adverse effect was felt and international peacekeepers. The recent court verdict in France, confirms that NATO aggression on the years left on Serbian soil heavy deadly trail.
the flames of the smoldering conflict regularly add fuel irresponsible policies, practices in Velikoivanenko rhetoric. Western colleagues do not hurry to stop broadcasting from Pristina and Tirana protagonists of the idea of a greater Albania. Meanwhile, the destructive potential of this ideology could bury been a decades-long system of regional stability.
over the last months EU and US vigorously campaigning in favour of the resumption of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Of course, we support political settlements, but we believe that the negotiations should be the principle of the faithful implementation of agreements previously concluded. Key among them is creation of a complete Community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo (SSMK), endowed with the necessary powers. The direct responsibility of the European Union as a mediator in the negotiation process is to make the Kosovo authorities to meet their obligations. Yet no progress in establishing SSMK does not occur.
Before the start of a new stage in the dialogue, it was necessary to cancel the anti-Serb discriminatory measures adopted by the Pristina authorities in recent years. The European Union as a mediator must ensure that the Kosovars will never return to this vicious practice. Let’s hope that the EU’s high representative for foreign Affairs and security policy, J. Borrell and EU special representative for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina M. lajčák will act as “honest brokers”.
however, note that the admission of Serbia to the EU continues to be used by someone as leverage on Belgrade’s recognition of Kosovo “independence”. It turns out that for EU membership, the state applicant it is necessary to abandon part of its territory. The authors of this absurd requirement see some sort of threat in a possible adjustment of the Kosovo administrative line. This concern seems even more hypocritical, if you remember, who and in what ways dismembered Yugoslavia.
whatever it was, Russia and Serbia continue to assume that the need to respect resolution 1244 of the UN security Council. The search for a compromise in negotiations is an exclusive prerogative of Belgrade and Pristina. They are intended to articulate and make the final decision, which would have received the approval of the UN Security Council. Moscow will only accept a solution which will Priya��LEM for Belgrade.
as for the external facilitate negotiations, it should be to impartially monitor compliance with the international legal framework of dialogue without imposing ready-made schemes.
Moscow and Belgrade are strategic partners. We aimed at deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in a wide range of areas. This approach does not depend on the intentions of Serbia’s negotiations on EU membership: it would continue to develop relations with Russia and the Eurasian economic Union.
we will Continue close cooperation in the Kosovo settlement based on respect for resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council.
