Europe

Analysis: Independence for Kosovo?

thumb_kosovo_mosqueThe recent G8 Summit failed to reach an agreement on the issue of independence for Kosovo. The analysis below is a translation from Arabic dated 30th April 2007 which explains the respective position of the various powers involved; the US, European Union and Russia. 

Serbia occupies a strategically vital location in the Balkan region, and has deep traditional, cultural and religious relations with Christian Orthodox Russia. Now, especially after the fragmentation of Yugoslavia, in which Serbia had enjoyed a position of privilege and its capital Belgrade was the capital of Yugoslavia, Serbia has moved closer to Russia and acts as it's front-line in the Balkans.

It is under the Russian influence that Serbia is moving away from the European Union and opposes US policies in Balkan, which are aimed to gain influence in the Balkans (Eastern Europe) in order to be able to hit Russia in its underbelly.

Therefore America first of all planned to separate Montenegro which had remained united with Serbia, and to achieve this, it provided assistance to the liberation movements of Montenegro.

Presently, the US is engaged in separating Kosovo from Serbia, not in the interest of the Muslims of Kosovo, but in order to weaken Serbia and thereby severing the last link that Russia has in the Balkans. In doing so, America hopes to implement its agenda in the regions without any resistance from a Russian-backed Serbia.

The following points will clarify it further. Firstly, the United States has formed and armed the Kosovo Liberation Army, the KLA. Secondly, due to America's effective leadership of the NATO, which it enjoys

through the founding rules of NATO, the US enabled the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to carry out attacks on Serbia and force it out of Kosovo eight years ago. It later established the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 1244 in 1999 which placed Kosovo under an UN administration.

However, since UNSC resolution 1244 is rather ambiguous on the issue of the separation of Kosovo, the Security Council on April 2nd 2007 began discussions on the proposals made by the international observer, Marrti Ahtisaari regarding the final negotiations which comprises serious plans aimed at separating Kosovo from Serbia.

The United States had announced its support for the proposals presented by Ahtisaari and also voiced its support for the separation of Kosovo. This was announced by Nicholas Burns, the Deputy Secretary of State on April 13th.

When the Serbian media reported that the US would recognise the independence of Kosovo even in the event of the UNSC not passing a resolution to this effect, Burns denied his statement on April 18th and clarified that he had said: "The proposals made by the international observer for the region Marrti Ahtisaari alone are the best options for the peace in Kosovo and the region, therefore America will make efforts to seek independence for Kosovo through a resolution of the UNSC and Kosovo will gain recognition from the US and other countries."

This basically amounts to the same thing though the words are put differently in his clarification. This is the US stand on the issue.

As for the European Union (EU) stance on the issue; though it is aware that the US seeks to weaken Serbia, erode Russian influence in the Balkans and remove any obstacle in its path in the region, the EU hopes that as a result of any weakening or breaking of Russian-Serbian links, it will be able to get Serbia into the EU and exploit its animosity with America. This it hopes will help counter the growing influence of other East European countries like Poland and the Czech Republic which have entered the EU and are considered as American pawns in the EU. It is with this aim that the EU has voiced its support for the Ahtisaari proposal. Former foreign minister of Germany, Joska Fischer has written an article titled: ‘Time has come for a durable solution for Kosovo', where he says: "Indeed the bold proposals of Ahtisaari that call for the independence of Kosovo and strong international supervision are the only effective options for the international community and the EU in particular."

Russia and Serbia have on the other hand vehemently resisted the proposals for Kosovan independence and rejected them. The head of the Serbian government, while addressing the Security Council during the debate on the Ahtisaari proposal on April 3rd said: "Serbia does not agree to any proposal except that Kosovo remains an integral part of Serbia and enjoys wide autonomous powers within the Serbian Republic." Before this, he had said on April 1st at Belgrade airport on his way to New York to attend the Security Council debate: "The Russian support for Serbia will play a key role in defeating and frustrating the Ahtisaari plan which by not respecting national borders and sovereignty, has violated the international consensus."

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated on March 19th, 2007: "The independence of Kosovo will have serious repercussions on stability in Europe." The ministry then threatened that Russia would exercise its right to veto any proposal that is not acceptable to the Serbs. News media in Belgrade suggested on 5th and 7th April that Russia intends to send a fact finding committee to go into the details of the situation in Kosovo and Belgrade and demanded that the debate over the Ahtisaari proposal be delayed until after the return of the committee. The UNSC accepted the Russian suggestion to form a committee to be headed by a non-European non-permanent member of the Security Council and the committee arrived in Belgrade on the evening of April 25th and set about its task. Belgrade TV, before the arrival of the team carried a statement by the deputy foreign minister of Russia, Vladimir Titov: "His country will not allow the proposal of the international observer Marrti Ahtisaari to pass through in the UNSC because it is futile."

On April 28th the Russian Foreign Minister repeated that his country would not accept any proposal that is not acceptable to the Serbs.

From the above, it is evident that the situation in Kosovo is an international confrontation between America and Russia and to some extent Europe. The interest of the Muslims are not a part of this. The Ahtisaari proposal that calls for separation of Kosovo however does not grant sovereignty but places it under international supervision and supported by NATO, which amounts to placing it under the American influence and a small role for the EU. On the assumption that the current proposals are not modified or vetoed by Russia.

To complete the picture, Kosovo has a population of 2 million people who have lived under the Uthmani Khilafah from 1389 to 1913 C.E, 90% of these are Muslims and 10% are Serbs. According to the Ahtisaari plan these Muslims- who are ethnically Albanian Muslims- will not be allowed to unite with Albania, similarly the Serbs will not be allowed to unite with Serbia, so that the problem persists and the US and the NATO remain in control.

In summary, the disbelieving colonialists do not work for the betterment or welfare of Muslims; they merely exploit them in their own confrontation for their own interests. It is only the Khilafah State which will truly protect Muslims, restore their honour and pride and put a stop to the designs of Kufr. That will be the day when Muslims will be delighted by the support of Allah (swt).

13th Rabee' ul akhir, 1428 A.H
30th April 2007