Thread: Violence Sparked By Kosovo's Split

Violence Sparked By Kosovo's Split

Updated:20:56, Sunday February 17, 2008

An explosion has rocked a UN building in northern Kosovo, just hours after leaders in the capital Pristina proclaimed Kosovo's independence.

Violence in BelgradeThe blast, apparently caused by a hurled hand grenade, caused damage but no injuries, while another unexploded hand grenade was discovered near a hotel that houses EU officials.

Meanwhile, hundreds of ultra-nationalist Serbians rallied outside the US Embassy in Belgrade, prompting the EU to call for calm.

Kosovo declared itself as a new, independent nation at an extraordinary parliamentary session on Sunday - sparking a furious response from Serbia.

While Serb leaders rejected Kosovo's "unilateral and illegal" declaration of independence, Russia's foreign ministry called for an emergency UN meeting.

The ministry claimed Kosovo's independence violated Serbia's sovereignty and threatened "the escalation of tension and ethnic violence in the region, a new conflict in the Balkans".

It also warned other nations against "supporting separatism" by recognizing Kosovo.

Meanwhile, thousands of Kosovo's majority Albanian population took to the streets to celebrate their independence.

In the capital Pristina, cavalcades of cars circled with horns blaring and supporters holding Albanian flags aloft.

Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said: "From today onwards, Kosovo is proud, independent and free.

Crowds celebrate in Pristina"We never lost faith in the dream that one day we would stand among the free nations of the world, and today we do."

Parliament speaker Jakup Krasniqi told the assembly: "Kosovo is turning a new page in its history."

The declaration of independence will be backed by most Western powers.

Ten years ago this week, Serb forces fought an Albanian guerrilla uprising, killing civilians who got in the way.

Determined to end a decade of humiliation from Belgrade under the late autocrat Slobodan Milosevic, the Albanians fought on until the West bombed Serbia into submission in 1999.

Kosovo has been run by the UN since Serb forces withdrew in June that year.

Promised recognition by the US and major EU powers, Kosovo's 88% Albanian majority can now ignore Serb warnings.

The EU will deploy a mission of some 2,000 starting next month to take over from the UN. A Nato-led peace force of 16,000 troops will stay on.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,, ... 36,00.html

Russia denounces Kosovo declaration

By STEVE GUTTERMAN, Associated Press Writer
23 minutes ago

MOSCOW - Russia denounced Kosovo's independence declaration Sunday, warning that the move threatened to ignite a new conflict in the Balkans and calling on NATO and U.N. officials in the territory to nix the decision.

Russia requested a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, which held closed-door talks Sunday afternoon. Russia, which has veto power on the council, wants the council to renew efforts — long-since pronounced dead by the U.S. and other Western nations — to reach a negotiated settlement of Kosovo's status.

Kosovo's parliament approved the declaration of independence from Serbia, backed by the U.S. and European allies. Kosovo had formally remained a part of Serbia even though it has been administered by the U.N. and NATO since 1999, when NATO airstrikes ended former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists.

Russia's Foreign Ministry, lashing out within minutes of the declaration, said Russia supports Serbia's "just demands to restore the country's territorial integrity." It said nations backing Kosovo's claim were supporting separatism and would shake "the foundations of a world order that has developed over decades."

Russia claimed the declaration violates the U.N. Charter ensuring the territorial integrity of member nations and threatens "the escalation of tension and ethnic violence in the region, a new conflict in the Balkans."

The ministry urged the U.N. mission and NATO forces in Kosovo to carry out their mandate by "annulling the decisions of the Pristina government organs and taking severe administrative measures against them."

Russia has stressed its opposition to any decision on Kosovo's status that is not accepted by Serbia. It has warned that recognition of Kosovo by the United States and other nations would encourage separatists in the former Soviet Union, across Europe and around the world.

Russia is widely expected to block recognition of Kosovo in the United Nations and continue backing traditional ally Serbia.

President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia would not "ape" the West, indicating it would not immediately recognize long-standing independence claims of pro-Russian separatist regions in ex-Soviet Georgia.

The Interfax news agency quoted the leaders of those regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as saying they would soon appeal to Russia and the United Nations for recognition.

"We believe that we have a greater right to recognition of our independence by the international community than Kosovo does," Irina Gagloyeva, spokeswoman for South Ossetia's separatist government, told The Associated Press. "It will now be harder for the West to ignore our demands."

Abkhazia's Vice President Raul Khadzhimba, also reached by the AP, said his province would step up efforts to win recognition — "first of all from Russia." Neither Gagloyeva nor Khadzhimba would confirm plans for any formal appeals, however.

Putin has built his popularity on restoring Russia's pride after a period of post-Soviet humiliation, and Moscow's firm stance on Kosovo comes amid growing Kremlin assertiveness toward the West.

Putin has held out backing for Kosovo as a glaring example of double standards and dangerous disregard for international law.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080217/ap_ ... sia_kosovo

UN Security Council to Meet on Kosovo

Feb 17 02:18 PM US/Eastern
By JOHN HEILPRIN
Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Russia tried to block Kosovo's independence during a closed-door emergency session of the U.N. Security Council on Sunday, and said it is concerned about the Serbs who are living in the territory.
The council met at the request of Russia, which argues that the declaration of independence from Serbia made earlier Sunday violates the council's orders and other U.N. rules.

Kosovo hopes for international recognition that could come on Monday when European Union ministers meet in Brussels, Belgium. Russia, which has veto power on the council, insists Kosovo is a Security Council issue—not an EU issue—and argues that Kosovo's move sets a dangerous precedent for separatist groups globally.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Russia was "highly concerned" about Kosovo's seeking international recognition as an independent nation and that the Security Council would "consider in two stages, the situation which has been created by an attempt by Pristina to declare unilateral independence of Kosovo."

He specifically addressed the minority Serbs living in enclaves in Kosovo.

"Our concern is for the safety of the Serbs and other ethnic minorities in Kosovo," Churkin said. "We'll strongly warn against any attempts at repressive measures, should Serbs in Kosovo decide not to comply with this unilateral proclamation of independence."

Kosovo's 2 million people is 90 percent ethnic Albanian, mainly secular Muslims, who do not want to be part of Serbia, a predominately Christian Orthodox nation.

The 15-member council remains deeply divided on the future of Kosovo. Russia backs its close ally Serbia, while Britain, France and other European Union members are supporting the Kosovo Albanians.

The Security Council's president scheduled the emergency "consultations" for Sunday after Russian and Serbian diplomats sent letters requesting such talks. During the closed-door session, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was expected to brief the council members on the situation in Kosovo.

A more formal meeting, with a possible vote by the council, has been scheduled for Monday. "We'll insist that it should be an open meeting, and we expect that the president of Serbia will participate," Churkin said.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1

Thanks for the updates, AirborneSapper7! God Bless Serbia, and may God have mercy on Europe, if the Albanians get their "Greater Albania", via Kosovo.