You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Europe
"Secret" U.N. Kosovo plan surfaces ahead of schedule
2007-01-31
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...it's a secret.
PRISTINA, Serbia (Reuters) - The Kosovo daily Lajm left four pages of its morning edition blank on Wednesday, saying it was told not to publish the text of a confidential United Nations plan for Serbia's breakaway province.
Hmmmmmm...how do we know that that wasn't the actual plan?
Reuters has seen a copy of the document the newspaper had planned to print and can confirm, as Western diplomats have already said, that it contains no reference to Serbian sovereignty or to independence. It does, however, include provisions that diplomats say would -- if adopted by the U.N. Security Council -- open the door to a declaration of independence by Kosovo's Albanian majority and recognition by individual states. Serbia categorically rejects independence. It is offering "substantial autonomy" to Kosovo's Albanian majority, insisting it must preserve what a senior Serb official this week called a "membrane of Serbian sovereignty."
A membrane? That's different...
Under the plan drawn up by a U.N. mediator, however, Kosovo would have its own "national" symbols, including a flag and anthem reflecting its multiethnic character.
...and lots of five star hotels, restaurants, and underage brothels. Oh, wait. That's the headquarters renovation plan. Sorry.
Lajm said it had received "suggestions from different circles" that it would not be beneficial to Kosovo to disclose the plan two days before it is officially handed over by the U.N. envoy, former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, who is due in Belgrade and Pristina on Friday. Political sources say leaders on both sides have already seen the plan. Ahtisaari's spokesman declined comment.
We can say...no more.
Reuters, citing diplomatic sources, published details of the plan last week, including proposals that Kosovo may seek membership of international organizations. This could include the U.N., World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
The Illuminati wasn't consulted? They'll be pissed...
Senior newspaper sources noted that Kosovo's interim government has been under pressure from Western powers to maintain diplomatic confidentiality during the process and would be cast in a poor light by an obvious leak of the plan.
Sounds like that worked out good...It is almost eight years since NATO bombed Serbia for 11 weeks to drive out forces under late leader Slobodan Milosevic, whose 1998-99 war against separatist guerrillas killed some 10,000 Albanians.
Bill Clinton's War. You know, The Good War.
The West sees no prospect of forcing Kosovo's 90-percent Albanian majority back into the arms of Belgrade. Russia has expressed skepticism about the Ahtisaari plan, and has asked for more time before it goes to the U.N. Security Council.
Time? Sure. How much ya need? Beacause this is the UN and I don't think too many people give a shit aboout this anyways...
The document seen in Pristina provides for creation of a professional and multiethnic "Kosovo Security Force" with a lightly-armed component and a civilian body to control it. Kosovo would have its own "national" symbols, including a flag and anthem reflecting its multiethnic character instead of the Albanian double-headed eagle which it currently uses.
We demand you use a gay armadillo. Silence! The UN has spoken!
It would also have control over borders -- a red line for Serbia which says its territorial integrity is inviolable.
I'm hazy on the details, but haven't they tried that before?
Posted by:tu3031

#6  And if the Serbs decide to retake Kosovo, the west won't stop them this time.
Posted by: ed   2007-01-31 17:52  

#5  It's a QUAGMIRE!
Posted by: doc   2007-01-31 17:21  

#4  What Serbian province will the muslims conquer next?
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305   2007-01-31 15:30  

#3  Oh, great! We had this really great secret plan, and you went and blabbed it to Reuters.
Posted by: Mike   2007-01-31 14:49  

#2  Another victory for Islam.
Posted by: gromgoru   2007-01-31 13:32  

#1  This will end well. All UN projects end well.
Posted by: DarthVader   2007-01-31 12:23  

00:00