Kosovo... Newest country in the world?

[HoennSquall]

As of the 17th of this month, Kosovo gains it's independence from Serbia, but there are tensions rising as some countries don't recognize Kosovo as one.

What are your opinions on this?

Here's the link for details...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Ko...f_independence

[DDv]

An old conflict that was expected to arise. I don't know why the EU wasn't prepared for this.
This'll end in war.
And since I'm just in the neighbourhood, I hope I'm wrong...
-.-'

[HoennSquall]

i see.... well, that's hard...

[chimpzy]

Originally Posted by DDv

I don't know why the EU wasn't prepared for this.

In what way do mean unprepared?

As far as I know, the EU and US have been pressuring (unsuccesfully, i'll admit) Serbia into giving Kosovo it's independance for years. The EU has already deployed troops to the region to help keep the peace, support has been promised and it can be expected that the EU and the US will soon recognize Kosovo as a sovereign state. Possible exceptions being Spain and Cyprus, unsurprisingly both countries with their own separatist movements seeking independance.

What more should the EU do/have done?

[DDv]

I meant that their reaction was pretty slow. They didn't have an "opinion" ready. I'm just surprised.

[vranaris06]

This goes far from just a matter between Serbia and Kosovo. Russia and US is already on the game.... As always of course

[DDv]

That's why I'm afraid...

[chimpzy]

Originally Posted by DDv

I meant that their reaction was pretty slow. They didn't have an "opinion" ready. I'm just surprised.

No, it's not really surprising. Although the EU supports Kosovo's independance, they didn't really want it right now. Kosovo and in fact the entirety of former Yugoslavia are not really ready for it yet.

- As it is, Kosovo cannot survive without aid from the EU and US. Civil unrest is rampant, the economy is a wasteland, ... Kosovo is independant in name only. The EU would've preferred it to be more stable and prosperous before breaking from Serbia.

- There are also many farreaching political and economical consequences. For instance, recognizing Kosovo as a state could sour the relations between the West and Russia even more than they are now, which may reflect itself in international trade and diplomacy between them.

- Many countries with their own separatist groups also fear that this independance may become a precedent. In fact, many minorities within the various countries that made up former Yugoslavia have expressed the desire for their own independance.

- Leading me to my second to last point. If some or all of the aforementioned minorities were to declare their independance, it could cause widespread conflict to spread out. Or even worse, the entire region could erupt in civil wars. There were some real atrocities commited over the years Yugoslavia broke up and if possible, they'd want to prevent those from happening again. And above all, it's just plain bad news for the EU to have wars going on in their backyard, for so many reasons i'm not going to go into them lest i'd be up all night listing them.

- And finally and this'll sound a bit petty: the UN, or more accurately the EU, US and Russia, are a bit pissed because Kosovo did not wait. They and the other factions involved were in an effort to reach a status outcome acceptable to both Belgrado and Pristina (I admit, they were really taking their time on this one). Instead, the Kosovo provisional government unilateraly declared their independance and effectively forced their hand. They're not very happy about that.

And there's more than these reasons. A lot more, but it would take so long to explain it all so i'll just leave it at this for now. I've barely scratched the surface and i haven't even really involved the US, Russia and UN yet.

[DDv]

Yes, yes and yes.

A war is almost inevitable. The question is how big will it be?

[pretmaker]

I thought there was already a war in Kosovo.... Or was that a long time ago??? (1998 or 1996???)

i have heard something about it on the news back in the old days... (UN troups went to Kosovo and they had died etc etc etc... The usual things)

Anyways, independance is good... Or lets just say that it is a beginning at this time... If there comes a war then the new regime will be verry good :P But after that it will be bad again :P (Most of the times :P)