http://www.embassymag.ca/html/index.php?display=letters&letters_date=1202878
800
Forced Plan for Kosovo´s Independence is Dangerous
Gwynne Dyer writes that independence now will be a shabby business but the
least bad solution to an insolvable problem (Re: "Kosovo´s Shady
Independence," Feb 6). I disagree.
First of all, the present solution (the Ahtisaari Plan) is a bad plan.
According to a recent opinion poll from Kosovo´s government, 30 per cent of
Kosovo´s Serbs plan to leave if Kosovo becomes independent under this plan.
The plan provides some autonomy, but it does nothing to improve the security
of Kosovo´s minorities. On the contrary, it plans to gradually remove the
protection of peacekeepers and parallel institutions.
Going back to the negotiating table would have results. Any objective
observer would have to conclude that—unlike some prior proposals—the latest
Serb proposals are sound and fair. If Western diplomacy would be prepared to
tell that, the Albanians would have to propose a more conciliatory plan.
Given that it is not in Serbia´s interest to have a dirt-poor hostile
province of 2 million, they would very probably consent if they felt such a
proposal dealt with their concerns.
Finally, the forced independence is much worse than Mr. Dyer suggests it to
be. It would set a very dangerous precedent in international relations.
Besides, 200,000 refugees from Kosovo in Serbia would keep the issue alive
for a very long time. Even if the EU might manage to force Serbia in
recognizing Kosovo, Serbia´s population would keep seeing the course of
affairs as unfair and a new war would be a permanent risk for many decades
to come. It is naive to suppose that Albanian nationalism will lie down
after this victory. On the contrary, with renewed confidence they will
embark to"liberate" their fellow Albanians in South-Serbia, Macedonia,
Montenegro and Greece.
WIM ROFFEL
Leiden,
The Netherlands
Serbian News Network - SNN
[email protected]
http://www.antic.org/
