[NYC-L] Fw: Kosovo: Entering the home stretch (Internation Security Network, 29/11/06)

[Aferdita Hakaj]

----- Forwarded by Aferdita Hakaj/OCHA/NY on 30/11/2006 09:53 AM -----

To: Severine Rey/OCHA/NY at OCHA, Wojtek Wilk/OCHA/NY at OCHA, 
Louise.Agersnap at undp.org, kai.stabell at undp.org, Rachel Scott 
Leflaive/OCHA/GE at OCHA, hpeugeot at unicef.org, hakaj at .un.org
From: OCHA-Early Warning/OCHA/NY
Date: 11/29/2006 01:09PM
Subject: Kosovo: Entering the home stretch (Internation Security Network, 
29/11/06)

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29 November 2006
Kosovo: Entering the home stretch
The international community has put off settling Kosovo's final status 
until shortly after the Serbian elections slated for 21 January 2007. But 
the delay seems unlikely to affect the outcome, which will in all 
probability be a conditional independence.
By Patrick Moore for RFE/RL (29/11/06)
By late 2005, the leadership of the UN, at the recommendation of special 
envoy Kai Eide, concluded that leaving Kosovo's political status 
unresolved had become a major source of problems for the province and the 
region as a whole.
The continuing uncertainty had already played a role in the triggering and 
spread of violence among some of the ethnic Albanian majority in March 
2004 and remained a potential source of future unrest.
The lack of clarity also discouraged the investment necessary to deal with 
large-scale unemployment and jump-start the economy among people who have 
often displayed sharp business acumen when provided with a clear legal 
framework, as Kosovars have done in countries like Croatia, Switzerland or 
Germany.
Urged to be patient
The decision on Kosovo's final status had been expected by the end of this 
year, and many Kosovars became apprehensive when the postponement was 
announced recently. But the delay seems designed only to minimize the 
effect of the issue on the Serbian vote and is probably unlikely to impact 
on the substance of the UN's final statement on status.
That would appear to be a form of independence - which is the only outcome 
acceptable to the 90 percent Albanian majority - albeit with a continuing 
foreign presence to ensure the safety and rights of the minorities, 
particularly the Serbs, and their cultural institutions. The EU will most 
likely replace the UN at the heart of the foreign civilian presence, but 
is expected to have a less powerful mandate than it currently does in 
Bosnia-Herzegovina.
UN envoy for Kosovo Martti Ahtisaari is expected to make his announcement 
regarding the province's status in February 2007. Numerous media reports 
have suggested that US and British diplomats have recently reassured 
Kosovar Albanian leaders that just a little more patience will pay 
dividends for them and warned them against any hasty moves, such as 
issuing a widely rumored unilateral declaration of independence if the 
decision on the final status continues to be delayed. Those media reports 
indicate that the Kosovars have accepted the assurances of Washington and 
London.
'Expectations are high'
Lest anyone forget the stakes involved in finalizing Kosovo's status, 
Prime Minister Agim Ceku wrote in "The Wall Street Journal" of 20 November 
that "expectations in Kosovo are high [?] It is ready for independence, 
and now is not the time to stop the clock."
He added that "we need to keep the process of statehood on track. Kosovo 
needs clarity to complete reforms and to attract vital international 
investments, but also so that our own people - and especially our Serb 
minority - can escape the debilitating worries and uncertainty and start 
to build a future. Their home and future are in Kosovo."
Ceku argued that "the biggest problem in the western Balkans is economic 
malaise [?] Belgrade is not interested in investing in the development of 
Kosovo, and Kosovo is not interested in a political union with Serbia. But 
we are interested in developing a productive bilateral partnership with 
Serbia, just as we're doing with our other neighbors."
He believes that "social and economic progress in the region will be the 
big losers if we don't make the bold step forward to independence. The 
entire western Balkan region needs a kick start in order to catch the EU 
train and catch up with the awesome economic growth of our EU-bound 
neighbors, Romania and Bulgaria."
He noted that "we have a young population and a positive birthrate. Given 
the shortages in the EU labor market due to negative demographic trends, 
Kosovo can help fill the void. To do so, we need to retrain our work 
force. Hence we're now investing in education."
Ceku also reminded Brussels that it cannot afford to forget its goal of "a 
Europe whole and free." He might have added that it is the question of 
Euro-Atlantic integration, perhaps more so than even the issue of Kosovo's 
final status, that will be the determining factor for the peace and 
prosperity of the entire region.


Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc.  Reprinted with the permission of Radio 
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Funded by the US Congress.
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Online version provided by the International Relations and Security 
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1996-2004


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