Byzantine Blog

Jiri Dienstibier: Kosovo "Independence" is Another Munich

The wave of Czech indignation over their government's sudden decision to recognize mafia state carved up on Serbian territory has not subsided days after the Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg announced the decision.

After Czech President Vaclav Klaus went public to state he was ashamed over the treacherous move by the government, Jiri Dienstibier, a renowned intellectual and Czech Republic's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, wrote a scathing condemnation of the government's announcement, denying Schwarzenberg's claims that they "had no other recourse" but to issue an illegal recognition of a fake state.

"There was no pressure on the Czech Government to recognize independence. The European Union allowed each member to decide about this issue, according to their circumstances and the international law", Dienstibier wrote for Czech daily on May 26.

He reminded the government that the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, according to which the borders in Europe cannot be changed unless there is a mutual agreement between the parties in question, is still in force, just like the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which clearly states that Kosovo province is an integral part of Serbia.

"This Resolution cannot be annulled, among others, also due to the entirely practical reasons. The UN civil administration, as well as the KFOR units were sent to Kosovo province precisely on the basis of this Resolution, and that includes Czech troops who would have no legal basis for their engagement without the Resolution 1244," Dienstibier wrote.

Dienstibier, who until recently served as a UN Human Rights Special Envoy in Serbian province, noted it was "a bitter irony" that the Czech Government decided to issue illegal recognition in the town of Teplice, in the Czech Sudetenland region which, prior to the post-war deportations, was populated mainly by Germans. In 1938, in Munich, Sudetenland was handed over to Nazi Germany by the Western powers, in hopes this chunk of prey would satisfy Adolf Hitler's appetites and help avert the WWII.

In his latest commentary, Dienstibier dubbed the recognition of Kosovo independence a "copy of Munich", accusing the government it has violated not only the will of Czech citizens and Parliament Members, but also the Czech foreign policy priorities.

"Contributing to the Kosovo province transformation does not necessitate independence recognition. We do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state either, but our relations with them are nevertheless positive."

Czech Intellectuals Seek FM's Replacement Over Kosovo Province Recognition

According to Tanjug, prominent Czech professors, scientists and publicists submitted a petition to the Foreign Affairs Board of the Czech Republic Parliament, accusing the government of issuing "Illegal recognition of Serbian Kosovo province", and seeking replacement of Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg.

Petition Board, headed by Professor Rajko Dolacek, assessed that the Czech Government "acted dishonorably and dishonestly" in regards to Pristina separatists' unilaterally declared independence, stressing that the government wanted to avoid discussion about the violation of the basic principles of the international law and the international ethics, so without prior announcement, it simply stated its decision, which is now deemed unalterable.

"The main culprit here is Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg, who already back in January suggested the recognition of the quasi-state of Kosovo", the petition states. In January, Schwarzenberg visited Pristina, where he held private talks with war criminal Hashim Thaci.

Day of Recognition, a Day of Shame

Czech intellectuals consider the day when Prague Government recognized unilateral independence by Pristina separatists "a day of shame" for the Czech diplomacy, and therefore, "a day of shame for Minister Schwarzenberg, and partly for those members of the Government who supported the recognition."

Assessing that the Czech Republic behaved as a "vassal state", petition reminds that in the earlier appeal, signed by more than 2,600 Czechs, Schwarzenberg was criticized for falsely interpreting the situation in the southern Serbian province and for using a highly suspicious argumentation in support of theory that Serbian province of Kosovo-Metohija is a "unique case".

"The UN Security Council did not annul the Resolution 1244. Therefore, Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia. By recognizing its independence, our Government and a score of other governments are insulting the United Nations and violating their Resolution", the Czech intellectuals wrote.

They pointed out that government has decided to disregard the resolution earlier adopted by the Foreign Affairs Board, which stressed that solution of Kosovo province issue which would contribute to the European and the world safety, must be in accordance with the international law and the Resolution 1244.

They also asked if Minister Schwarzenberg is aware how tragic is the life for non-Albanians in Kosovo province, being that they live in ghettos, without possibility for education, employment and medical treatment.

"His [Schwarzenberg's] contempt for the principles of the international ethics and law, and for the Resolution 1244, and his lack of knowledge about the Balkan issues are disqualifying him as the minister of foreign affairs and as a politician. This is why we are proposing that he should be recalled from that position", the petition by the prominent Czech intellectuals concludes.