Ever since the former Yugoslavia began to disintegrate in 1990, Serbian leaders – like current nationalist Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica – have declared that the predominantly Albanian province of Kosovo would always be a part of what little remains of “Greater Serbia”.
But, even with my pedestrian knowledge about the simmering political, historical and ethnic conflicts that made the Balkans such a perennial powder keg, I never found such declarations viable or politically sensible. Indeed, such was my conviction in this respect that earlier this year – in an article entitled Kosovo: wither Serbia’s Alamo – I wrote the following:
…international military and political forces aligned against the Serbs are such that they would be well-advised to have their religious leaders lead them in serene prayers of acceptance instead of having their political leaders lead them in jingoistic cries of defiance over Kosovo. Because it will take a miracle for them to retain any control over this province when all is said and done.
Therefore, I was not at all surprised this week when Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic declared that Serbia is now “prepared to give up a lot [including] some of its sovereign prerogatives” to accommodate Kosovo’s demands for independence.
Although I suspect Serb leaders were moved to make this about face by a keen sense that international frustration (especially within the EU) with their intransigence in negotiations on Kosovo’s final status had finally reached a tipping point – with grave political consequences for Serbia.
After all, as much as they cherish historic religious ties with Kosovo, Serbs clearly covet future economic ties with Europe much more. By contrast, no matter how much their Slav brothers in Russia are prepared to abet their pipe dream for Kosovo (but only with political, not military, support), Serbs appear no more interested in being the political and economic bedfellows of Russians today than they were during the height of the Cold War.
Meanwhile, one also wonders how much the political feint Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku orchestrated two weeks ago might have concentrated Serb minds in this respect. Because Ceku announced that the province would declare independence on November 28, unilaterally, if Serbia and Russia persist in blocking UN negotiations toward this end….
At some point in time – sooner rather than later – you have got to say ‘Enough is enough. Kosovo is independent’ and that is the position we have taken. [US President George W Bush in Tirana, Albania 10 June 2007]
At any rate, all that remains is for the UN to figure out how to appease Serbia’s terminally-afflicted pride by recognizing Kosovo as an independent nation without calling it an independent state – a naval-gazing task for which it is uniquely suited.
And all of this despite the hackneyed rhetoric of irrepressible nationalists in the Serbian government who insist that there will be:
…an ‘energetic response’ against the United States and EU countries which might recognize Kosovo’s independence without U.N. consent.
In fact, Serbia’s parliament passed a resolution last week that threatens to cut ties with any country that recognizes an independent Kosovo. Which, of course, seems (pathologically?) self-defeating, if not laughable, for a country desperately seeking political and economic ties…no?
NOTE: Many of my compatriots down in The Bahamas are complaining about a wave of violent crime that has them wondering if they’re living in paradise or purgatory. But I hope my article today at CNN not only calms their fears but also counsels national leaders on how to calm the tide of these violent crimes.
Click here to read that article.
Related Articles:
Kosovo: wither Serbia’s Alamo
Kosovo independence, Serbia, the EU & UN
Anonymous says
A chilling article summoning very accurate points about the political scene in Serbia.
Excellent article