e martë, shkurt 19, 2008

US warns Russia not to encourage Georgian separatists

Apparently, according to US foreign policy, sauce for the goose (i.e., Kosovo) is not sauce for the gander! (MR)

Separatist fears stoke opposition to Kosovo move

The list of countries refusing to recognise Kosovo's sovereignty reads like a global A-Z of separatist strife. Spain, Azerbaijan, Sri Lanka and China all oppose Sunday's unilateral move by Kosovo to declare independence.

An even longer list of states in Europe and the Balkans are decidedly underwhelmed about acting as midwife to a new state in a region with a history of instability and conflict since the bloody breakup of the former Yugoslavia in 1991.

World split on Kosovo issue

The Russian parliament warned that countries that recognised Kosovo "will be fully responsible for the inevitable heightening of existing territorial conflicts and the appearance of new ones."
Posted Feb 19, 2008 09:19 AM PST
Category: CURRENT EVENTS

This is a real problem with countries which have various "breakaway autonomous zones" which want to be independent: the recognition of Kosovo as an independent country precisely sets the stage and precedent for this. (MR)

The Raw Story | Serbs attack Kosovo border points as tensions mount

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the United States that Kosovo's independence was "dangerous" for the world but US President George W. Bush insisted the move would bring peace.



Putin has more than a little grasp of history; Bush has absolutely no understanding of history.

And those who do not understand the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.

Decleration of the Annexation of Kosova‏

BBC-CNN:
New York City- Feb 18. 2008:

In an interview today with the BBC in New York City our correspondent Mark Mardell conducted a short interview with Afrim Begi of the U.S. speaking about the independence of Kosovo and the recognition his country made today supporting the new Republic of Kosova.

BBC-Mark Mardell: Afrimbegi, Kosova has declared independence and today the U.S. has recognized it, what is your take on that?

Afrimbegi: "Well, some of my AUK patriots and brothers and sisters back in Kosova may feel I'm wrong by saying this... (kqyr bre Afrimin po e perdor Communicating in Business method te Kathy to make a buffer here hehe) I was dissapointed with the independence declaration of Kosova.." I wanted the "Motherland" to be the 51st state of America but we'll see what happens."

BBC: Afrimbegi, you advocate something very surprising as far as Kosova is concerned and many have nicknamed your plan as the "Afrimsarri Plan for KS" what is your response to that?

Afrimbegi: Well (ngom diqka) I've nicknamed it the "Afrim-sorry no independence plan for KS. We should make Kosova ours as an American state! Why should we let the E.U. control the new Republic of Kosova? I just feel that instead of the new EULEX team to rule Kosova we should have the "U.S.A ALL THE WAY" team from the U.S. rule Kosova.

BBC: Afrimbegi, you've written articles in the past about joining Kosova to the U.S. and have recently written the "Declaration of Annexation of Kosova to the U.S." however, there has been opposition in Prishtina (although in PR CIA operatives from Granit Hasani to Granit Jakupi have supported you on this), Mitrovica, Bukuviku and even from your Dukagjini roots back in Kosova still show opposition, how do you feel about that?

Afrimbegi: Valla spo ma ndin bash hiq more BBC ndash me dit...

BBC: Excuse me?

Afrimbegi: haha let me chillax-relax a little bit...No i'm kidding, but no look-shiko, I know all of my fellow patriots back in Kosova want to be independent and all but I advocate and support a different view and think that the U.S. can bring a faster degree of Prosperity to Kosova than the E.U. can.

BBC: But Afrimbegu don't you feel that America is too far from Kosova? I also want to discuss a little bit your interesting take on changing the city names of Kosova and the regions within it. Can you elaborate on this?

Afrimbegi Po more of course edhe shpejt bile... listen America is already there in Kosova with a huge military base and should annex the new Reublic of Kosova and bring economic prosperity to the people there. As far as the name changes I thought up for cities in Kosova, they are listed below as follows from my least favorite to my favorite:

Prishtine: "New Rio E BUKUR E Di Kosova"

Mitrovica: "New Metro-Dardania"

Besiana: "New Besian Boston" eventhough my Minister of Cool Yll Latifi demanded I name this city New London...

Gjilan: "New Jaran" although I know a certain Dhurata that would name this New Milano... but no we didn't decide on that...at least from the last time I checked...

Ferizaj: "Nue (new) Feri"

Prizren: "Old Prize" of Kosova

Gjakova: "New Gjak"

Deqan: " Ramush City"

STRELLC: "WOOOO HOOOOOO katun hahaha" wow even in America Strellc would still be a katun! qka me bo?

*mayor here for Strellc will be A guEST from Tirana to rule the breakway Afrimian Strellc seeking to join Albania!

And last but certainly not least...

Peja: New Honolulu-Hawaii ----

BBC: Afrimbegu, will you do everything it takes to make Kosova the 51st U.S. state?

Afrimbegi: You betchya your ass BCC that I will do whatever it takes because I love Kosova like a fat loves cake... we need to improve Kosova...

BBC: Afrimbegu, ti definitivisht sje normal, you are not normal!!! What is is your message to your fellow Albanian patriots!?

Afrimbegi: HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, I JUST FIGURE I GIVE YOU ALL SOMETHING FUNNY TO READ AND ENJOY DURING THIS HAPPY MOMENT FOR ALL ALBANIANS.... KALOFSHI SHUME BUKUR.....

TUNGJATJETA------Afrimbegi---------------

Full text: Kosovo declaration

Here is the text of Kosovo's declaration of independence, signed in parliament by Speaker Jakup Krasniqi, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and President Fatmir Sejdiu:

Convened in an extraordinary meeting on February 17, 2008, in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo,

Answering the call of the people to build a society that honours human dignity and affirms the pride and purpose of its citizens,
Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci (right) and MPs applaud during parliament session (17/02/08)
Kosovo's parliament unanimously approved the historic declaration

Committed to confront the painful legacy of the recent past in a spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness,

Dedicated to protecting, promoting and honouring the diversity of our people,

Reaffirming our wish to become fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic family of democracies,

Observing that Kosovo is a special case arising from Yugoslavia's non-consensual breakup and is not a precedent for any other situation,

Recalling the years of strife and violence in Kosovo, that disturbed the conscience of all civilized people,

Grateful that in 1999 the world intervened, thereby removing Belgrade's governance over Kosovo and placing Kosovo under United Nations interim administration,

Proud that Kosovo has since developed functional, multiethnic institutions of democracy that express freely the will of our citizens,

Recalling the years of internationally sponsored negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina over the question of our future political status,

Regretting that no mutually acceptable status outcome was possible, in spite of the good-faith engagement of our leaders,

Confirming that the recommendations of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari provide Kosovo with a comprehensive framework for its future development and are in line with the highest European standards of human rights and good governance,

Determined to see our status resolved in order to give our people clarity about their future, move beyond the conflicts of the past and realize the full democratic potential of our society,

Honouring all the men and women who made great sacrifices to build a better future for Kosovo,

We, the democratically elected leaders of our people, hereby declare Kosovo to be an independent and sovereign state. This declaration reflects the will of our people and it is in full accordance with the recommendations of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari and his Comprehensive Proposal for the Kosovo Status Settlement.

We declare Kosovo to be a democratic, secular and multiethnic republic, guided by the principles of non-discrimination and equal protection under the law. We shall protect and promote the rights of all communities in Kosovo and create the conditions necessary for their effective participation in political and decision-making processes.

We accept fully the obligations for Kosovo contained in the Ahtisaari Plan, and welcome the framework it proposes to guide Kosovo in the years ahead. We shall implement in full those obligations including through priority adoption of the legislation included in its Annex XII, particularly those that protect and promote the rights of communities and their members.

We shall adopt as soon as possible a Constitution that enshrines our commitment to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all our citizens, particularly as defined by the European Convention on Human Rights. The Constitution shall incorporate all relevant principles of the Ahtisaari Plan and be adopted through a democratic and deliberative process.

We welcome the international community's continued support of our democratic development through international presences established in Kosovo on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999). We invite and welcome an international civilian presence to supervise our implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan, and a European Union-led rule of law mission. We also invite and welcome the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to retain the leadership role of the international military presence in Kosovo and to implement responsibilities assigned to it under UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) and the Ahtisaari Plan, until such time as Kosovo institutions are capable of assuming these responsibilities. We shall cooperate fully with these presences to ensure Kosovo's future peace, prosperity and stability.

6. For reasons of culture, geography and history, we believe our future lies with the European family. We therefore declare our intention to take all steps necessary to facilitate full membership in the European Union as soon as feasible and implement the reforms required for European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

7. We express our deep gratitude to the United Nations for the work it has done to help us recover and rebuild from war and build institutions of democracy. We are committed to working constructively with the United Nations as it continues its work in the period ahead.

8. With independence comes the duty of responsible membership in the international community. We accept fully this duty and shall abide by the principles of the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, other acts of the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the international legal obligations and principles of international comity that mark the relations among states. Kosovo shall have its international borders as set forth in Annex VIII of the Ahtisaari Plan, and shall fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all our neighbours. Kosovo shall also refrain from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.

9. We hereby undertake the international obligations of Kosovo, including those concluded on our behalf by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and treaty and other obligations of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to which we are bound as a former constituent part, including the Vienna Conventions on diplomatic and consular relations. We shall cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. We intend to seek membership in international organizations, in which Kosovo shall seek to contribute to the pursuit of international peace and stability.

10. Kosovo declares its commitment to peace and stability in our region of southeast Europe. Our independence brings to an end the process of Yugoslavia's violent dissolution. While this process has been a painful one, we shall work tirelessly to contribute to a reconciliation that would allow southeast Europe to move beyond the conflicts of our past and forge new links of regional cooperation. We shall therefore work together with our neighbours to advance a common European future.

11. We express, in particular, our desire to establish good relations with all our neighbours, including the Republic of Serbia with whom we have deep historical, commercial and social ties that we seek to develop further in the near future. We shall continue our efforts to contribute to relations of friendship and cooperation with the Republic of Serbia, while promoting reconciliation among our people.

12. We hereby affirm, clearly, specifically, and irrevocably, that Kosovo shall be legally bound to comply with the provisions contained in this Declaration, including, especially, the obligations for it under the Ahtisaari Plan. In all of these matters, we shall act consistent with principles of international law and resolutions of the Security Council of the United Nations, including resolution 1244 (1999). We declare publicly that all states are entitled to rely upon this declaration, and appeal to them to extend to us their support and friendship.

FACTBOX-Where do countries stand on Kosovo?

The United States and Europe's leading powers said on Monday they were recognising the independence of Kosovo, a day after the majority Albanian territory seceded from Serbia.

U.N. police quit destroyed Kosovo border post

U.N. police pulled out from a Kosovo border post that was destroyed on Tuesday by Serbs who vowed never to submit to the authority of Kosovo's Albanian government and its Western backers.

NATO Peacekeepers Intervene as Serbs Protest in Northern Kosovo

NATO peacekeepers in northern Kosovo have intervened as Serbs, protesting the declaration of independence by the area's ethnic Albanian lawmakers, burned down two border posts on the frontier with Serbia.

Russia warns U.S. of dangers of Kosovo independence

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned his U.S. counterpart Condoleezza Rice that Kosovo's declaration of independence endangers international stability, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

Serbs protest Kosovo's independence move

Checkpoints torched, sporadic explosions as new nation draws recognition

Finland prepares to recognise Kosovo independence

Serb mob destroys two checkpoints on Kosovo-Serbia border

Gangs of angry Serbs destroyed two checkpoints on the Kosovo-Serbia border in arson attacks today, prompting NATO forces to intervene for the first time since Kosovo declared independence.

Bush Backs Kosovo Independence

President Bush says he is backing independence for Kosovo because he believes it will bring peace to the Balkans. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports Russia and Serbia say Kosovo's unilateral declaration sets a dangerous precedent for separatist movements, worldwide.

More countries give mixed responses to Kosovo's declaration of independence

More countries gave mixed responses on Tuesday to Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence on Sunday.