Byzantine Blog

I have a question do any of you reading this have any friends that disrespect you in your own house? If the answer to this question is no, then we need to put the same question to President Boris Tadic of Serbia, if his answer to the question is no as well, then we need to ask him why is he not telling U.S. ambassador to Serbia Michael Polt and German Ambassador to Serbia Andreas Zobel you are no longer welcome in Serbia, get out. Most of us already know that if it was up to Mr. Kostunica Mr. Polt as well as Mr. Zobel would be persona non grata in Serbia.

I am fed up with the behavior of countries that pretend to stand for law, justice, human rights, democracy, etc. Then publicly in the same breath try to dismember 15% of Serbian territory sighting that this is the last remnants of the dissolution of SFRJ (Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), somehow unfinished business, today Kosovo, tomorrow Vojvodina, what hypocrisy. They justify the hypocrisy by saying that Miosevic lost Kosovo by trying to defend it against KLA terrorist who were trying to ethnically cleanse all Serbs and to destroy all remnants of Serbian culture in Kosovo, since 1980.

Yes, these same countries that if their territory came into question or if an ethnic group living in their country was a majority in any part of it and was asking for independence, that answer would be absolutely no. Of course they would announce to the world how they are a sovereign country a good standing member of UN, sighting UN charter, Helsinki Act, etc…keep in mind that one of these countries, the U.S. has more then 2.5 million people in prison, and of the 2.5 million people in prison majority of this figure are minorities of color, and God only knows how many native Americans still living on reservations. Does the mistreatment of these ethnic minority groups amount to the rest of the world to demand of the U.S. to give up 15% of its territory, no?

So why does the U.S. insist that Serbia give up 15% of its territory, when all it was doing in 1990 was fighting terrorism, maintaining law and order, within its sovereign boundaries. Serbs seems to be afraid to raise the issue that of the 90% of the Albanians that the mainstream media utilizes on a daily basis when discussing Kosovo at least 40% are illegal aliens, people that were not born in Serbian Kosovo province.

Serbia needs to demand the implementation of the international law including the UN charter and the UN Resolution 1244 which calls for retention of Kosovo in Serbia.
Serbia won the right to UN Resolution 1244 on the battle field, against overwhelming odds as a well known Serbian American speaker and writer Bob Djurdjevic said:

"A military alliance of 19 nations and 780 million people; with over half of the world's gross economic product, possessing two-thirds of the global military power, ganged up on a tiny nation of 10 million. For 78 days, NATO terrorized the people of Serbia, dropping 23,000 bombs and missiles on them in 36,000 sorties. Yet the Serbs remained unbowed and uncowed. This is not hearsay. I saw their defiance with my own eyes during the six days I had spent under NATO's bombardment."

We do not need friends that do not respect us, so it is no loss if Serbia loses U.S., Germany, Italy, France, Holland, etc., as friends, with friends like these, who needs enemies.

There isn't anything in Alfred's comment that I disagree with. On the point of "Serbia needs to demand the implementation of the international law including the UN charter and the UN Resolution 1244 which calls for retention of Kosovo in Serbia" such demands have fallen on deaf ears because most countries that participated in aggression on Serbia weren't taking any notice of what Serbia had to say.

So sure of themselves have the US and EU become that the violation of International Law has become fashionable hobby. No wonder they are bewildered at Russia's stance, it has not sunk in yet that there is someone capable of contradicting them. It is this blind self confidence that could ignite another war.

Bozidar, I totally agree with your short assessment, that the demand for the implementation of the international law including the UN charter and the UN Resolution 1244 which calls for retention of Kosovo in Serbia has fallen on deaf ears but (that is only the appearance on the surface), the demand was initiated not only by Serbia but also Russia, China, India, many other countries that do not want to see International Law being trampled once again by U.S. and its immediate allies. Keeping in mind that the International law is on Serbia’s side, and no power on earth can change that…diplomacy by weak and small countries takes time, historically this was always true, Serbia has no weapons of mass destruction to demand or defend.

But should the Kosovo Albanians make a mistake and unilaterally declare independence that would nullify UN SC Resolution 1244 (from my understanding of the resolution), which means Serbia, has a right to defend its territory by force? That is what the U.S. does not want, a direct confrontation with Russia, since Russia will fully back Serbia militarily. Remember that ethnic Albanians biggest enemy is themselves; we should take that advantage if given that opportunity.

The reality of why the demand has fallen on deaf ears (or the appearance of) is this, as a famous Serbian writer Mateja Beckovic once said a rough translation is "If Kosovo is not ours, why are they asking us to give it up? If it is theirs, why are they trying to take it? If they can take it I don't know why they are so hesitant?”

Alfred, I wrote a short comment because you have said it so well in your assessment that there was no conflict between our views. The only point that seemed left open was whether Serbia has been voicing its objection on legal ground or not.

You are quite right in saying that: "the demand was initiated not only by Serbia but also Russia, China, India,", and it is that fact that carries much weight which Serbia alone could not muster. In spite of all that the US is attempting to circumvent the objections and bring about the Kosovo independence regardless. It is that blind belief in their invincibility that could spark a wider conflict.

PS. I read your writing with keen interest and value the reasoning behind it. I look forward to reading much more of your written material in the future.

Sincere regards!