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I have decidedly mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand, in principle I support the right of people to secede from a country whose government they find onerous.

On the other hand, I have a decidedly ominous feeling about revising borders on the Balkans.

On the third hand, I think that in the long run it would be rather hard to keep Kosova in Serbia.

On the fourth hand, I think that the Union has been entirely too high-handed in this matter. If the Serbs and Russians are angry about this - well, it's hard to blame them.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Mon Feb 18th, 2008 at 04:43:14 AM EST
Has Spain recognized Kosovo's independence yet? Just read Russia is very very irritated.
by The3rdColumn on Mon Feb 18th, 2008 at 01:48:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
All I see in the Spanish press is platitudes on whether Kosovo and the Basque Country are similar or not, and Russia has picked up on that point, too.

Some old news, reported today over two weeks late...

Un coronel español asume el mando operativo de la KFOR en el periodo de mayor incertidumbre para Kosovo A Spanish Colonel takes operational command of KFOR during a time of the greatest uncertainty for Kosovo
Un coronel del Ejército de Tierra español ha asumido el mando operativo de los 16.000 militares de 34 naciones que integran la Fuerza de la OTAN en Kosovo (KFOR), en la fase de mayor incertidumbre tras la declaración de independencia de la provincia serbia.
Según informaron a Europa Press fuentes militares, el coronel Juan Montenegro Álvarez de Tejera, procedente del arma de Artillería, tomó el pasado 6 de febrero en el Cuartel General de la KFOR, con sede en Prístina, cargo como jefe de la Sección de Operaciones (J3) del Estado Mayor de la misión aliada, responsabilidad que ejercerá durante los próximos doce meses.
A Spanish Army Colonel has taken operative command of the 16,000 troops from 34 nations that make up the NATO force in Kosovo (KFOR), in a phase of the greatest uncertainty after the declaration of independence by the Serb province.
According to reports to [Spanish news agency] Europa Press by military sources, Artillery Colonel Juan Montenegro Álvarez de Tejera, took office as chief of the Operations Section of the Chiefs of Staff of the allied mission last 6th February at the KFOR headquarters in Pristina; he will hold this brief for the next twelve months.

And Spain's take on Kosovo as of 3 days ago:

Moratinos rechaza de nuevo a Kosovo argumentado motivos de seguridad- Lavanguardia.es - Noticias, actualidad, última hora en Cataluña y España [Spain's foreign minister Miguel Ángel] Moratinos rejects Kosovo again on security grounds - LaVanguardia.es - News, Current Affairs, Latest in Catalonia and Spain
El ministro de Asuntos Exteriores y Cooperación, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, ha asegurado que la postura contraria del Gobierno español a la declaración unilateral de independencia en Kosovo se basa en "la preocupación sobre la estabilidad y seguridad en la región". Spain's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, has claimed that the Spanish government's position against the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo is based on "the concern over the stability and security of the region".

The article goes on to Russia's attacks on Spain's "hypocrisy" and Spain's explanations that there's no possible comparison between Spain and Serbia. Meanwhile, a spokesman for Catalan Left Republican Nationalist party ERC has claimed that "Spain increasingly resembles Serbia".

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Feb 24th, 2008 at 10:07:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]
On the fifth hand, there's the issue of the majority-Serbian population in the Northeastern region of Kosovo.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Feb 19th, 2008 at 06:01:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]
On the sixth hand, there is the ethnic Serbian enclave on the border of Kosovo and Macedonia.

On the seventh hand, there are the Albanian villages beyond the border of Kosovo in Serbia. And also in Montenegro.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Tue Feb 19th, 2008 at 07:03:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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