At the Crossroads
Bishop Teodosije of Decani Monastery visiting Serbs wounded in a terrorist attack by Albanian Muslims who threw a bomb through the open window of their home. Pec hospital, Kosovo and Metohija, Serbia.
Bush Administration Reassessing Position on Kosovo
Attempts to reach a negotiated solution on independence for Kosovo remained deadlocked last night, leaving the troubled province’s political future in the hands of divided international powers, aides to the United Nations’ chief mediator said.
Martti Ahtisaari is expected to present proposals in November that Kosovo be granted sovereignty, resolving the last lingering question from the collapse of Yugoslavia. [...]
The [Contact] group brings together the US, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Russia in a supporting role to the UN, which has administered Kosovo since the expulsion of Yugoslav Serb forces in 1999.
During a week of heightened ethnic tension in Kosovo, the group made clear that it would permit neither Belgrade nor Pristina “unilaterally” to block negotiations to decide the disputed territory’s future status. Serbia argues that independence will lead to renewed regional instability.
But observers suspect that Russia and China, fearful of secession disputes within their own borders, may resist formal independence for Kosovo in the UN Security Council, which will be required to ratify any proposal.
Diplomats in Washington also see the Bush administration responding to the concerns raised by Russia and Serbia and reassessing their position on Kosovo.
Serbia’s parliament in an emotional session last week decided to name Kosovo as an “integral part” of the country in a new constitution, which Vojislav Kostinica, the prime minister, aims to complete before elections early next year. [...]
American and many European officials have tacitly supported “imposed independence,” assuming continued international involvement will help protect Serbs and other minorities.
But four bombing incidents during the past eight days have raised the spectre of deadly clashes again in the province.
Entire article by Neil MacDonald in Zagreb and Guy Dinmorein in Washington, FinancialTimes.com, September 23, 2006.
Serbs From Klina Region Scared
Bishop Teodosije with youngest Serbian returnees in Brestovik near Pec, Kosovo and Metohija, Serbia
Klina, 22 Sep (Glas Javnosti) – Three days after the bomb attack against the Pavlovic family, Serbian returnees from Klina and surrounding villages are scared and worried for their safety, stated Sveto Dabizljevic, an SDP member from Klina.
“There is no doubt that the statement of the Kosovo parliament president, who by the way is from Klina, caused the attack on the Pavlovic family, and it is only a question of when a new attack will happen. Serbs from this region are aware of this. An additional concern is caused by the KFOR announcement that it will withdraw from the base in the returnee village in Bica. If this happens, there is no doubt that the Serbs will once again have to leave their homes. After the attack, the police did not increase their presence,” said Dabizljevic.
He claims that attack against the Serbs which have become more frequent, are organized, and that Serbs which recently returned to their homes now do not know what to do because they cannot address anyone for help.
“I have the impression that for Prishtina authorities these attacks come as nifty promotion material because every time there is an attack against Serbs, their politicians take cameras and news reporters and start visiting injured Serbs. This means that Ceku and his company first throw bombs on Serbs and then cure them so that it can be seen how they care about them. If Serbs do not bother them, why are they throwing bombs on them,” asked Dabizljevic.