Kosovo is a mini-province with a population of barely one million. Its "economy" is in shambles, sustained largely by heroin trafficking into the EU. Its new "government" is dominated by a handful of drug-smuggling clans, whose strong-arm men became the nucleus of the "Kosovo Liberation Army." It is the nightmare of Interpol, and promises to create disruption for Europe for years to come.

It seems to be waste of precious time to spend to post things here!

Time is precious todo do other valuable things and should not spend wastefully here to post for people to read!
bring some stories about racoons, skunks, cats, mice, doodoos to post here to please people eyes!

To Mikra:

You base your entire argument on the fact that "Yugoslavia" no longer exists. In law as well as diplomacy, there is such a thing as a successor-in-interest. The Soviet Union no longer exists - does that mean all the arms control agreements the U.S. signed can now be shredded? Obviously not. Resolution 1244 is still valid and completely violated by the U.S.

With regard to whether Kosovo was a Serbian or a Yugoslav "province," this is so esoteric a quibble that I seriously doubt you are versed enough in Yugoslav constitutional law to pronounce on it. For the record, Kosovo changed status repeatedly while it was part of Yugoslavia. From 1908 to the formation of Yugoslavia (or the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats & Slovenes) in 1918, Kosovo was a part of Serbia. Prior to that, Kosovo was part of Turkey.

You talk about UN Resolution 1244 requiring a "referendum". Could you cite to the specific section of the resolution and quote the exact words that provide for such a referendum?

I also find remarkable your concept of negotiation. We "gave Serbia and Russia a chance" to accept the Ahtisaari plan. When they didn't agree to our predestined result, we declare that negotiations were a failure, that Serbia is obstinate, and unilaterally do what we want in the first place. This is the kind of "negotiations" small countries love having with big countries.

"Four, creating a new state based in ethnic criteria is dangerous. Why not a Kurd state in northern Iraq? "

Dude, who are you kidding? There are only a handful of states in Europe based on anything *other than* ethnic criteria (Belgium and Switzerland, to be exact). You're hundreds of years late to be complaining about precedents of ethnonationalism. I suppose this piece was intended for American readers, who tend to go in for multi-ethnic and multi-national states, but do you really think we're so daft as to not have noticed that ethnicity is the entire basis of modern European nationality? We did send millions to die over there in several wars over this stuff, you know...

Why not a Kurd state in northern Iraq? Could hardly be worse than the status quo.

Serbia chose its fate when it attacked civilian populations in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo on the basis of ethnic origin. The more they strive for a "Greater Serbia", the more they will end up with a lesser Serbia. European states who remember the World Wars will do everything they can to reduce the power of aggressive ethnic nationalists. It is unfortunate that Milosevic unleashed the worst sentiments of his people in a failed effort to bolster his own power, but modern-day Serbs need to understand that their influence and reputation in the world will be enhanced only by positive accomplishments, not by angry yet empty words.

Kosovo = KLA, Kosovo Liberation Army, a terrorist organisation.

When you have media outlets who were once publishing nothing but anti-serb articles, all of a sudden taking a more even handed approach, you know what time it is. Its obvious this illegal act of secession will have serious repercussions worldwide. Kosovo today, where next tomorrow. Governments are quite aware of this, and therefore most will not support an independent Kosovo.

Fact of the matter is, an Albanian state already exists. Why should we support a second Albanian state on Serbian soil?? Its ludicrous and makes absolutely no sense.

After losing so many rights and so much bad media-propaganda the Serbian nation just wanted to hold onto Serbia's sovereign territory within its borders.
Serbia will not, will never give up 15% percent of its sovereign territory.
The fact that what is being taken, what is being sliced out of Serbia is its spiritual and historical heartland, is an unforgiveable sin, which is preventing christians of the Orthodox faith to freely pray and travel to Kosovo and Metohija.
Kosovo and Metohija is Serbia and it cannot be taken by American or European Union or Nato interests to support the creation of a KLA-Albanian state next to Albania proper.
Two Albanian states side by side, while the Serbs, Roma, Gorani, and others are forced to leave Serbia against their will.
The Serbian diaspora has no trust in US, EU or Nato with this illegality, this shocking dismemberment, especially after 78 days of illegal bombing to get Serbia to this stage.
The only sanity coming from anywhere is from Russia in requesting further dialogue with the separatist ethnic Albanians.
And finally "how do we interpret international law and the establishment of a new world precedent" in regard to Kosovo and Metohija, because, yes, it is unique, in that it is the "first case" for Others to follow, and they will.
This creates lots of instability around the globe.

Ignacio Gil Vázquez:

"[Kosovo independence] violates the United Nations' own procedures. This institution has been kept aside. Surely, when blood will be spilled again in the Balkans, someone will claim for a new UN peace mission. What irony!"

This paragraph is your deadly weakness in your otherwise badly constructed argument.

Here is why:

1244 is a resolution that recognizes Yugoslav sovereignity over Kosovo. Kosovo has always been a Yugoslav province, not Serbian. Yugoslavia seized to exist in 2003. In addition, 1244 specifically states that after a period of transition, the people of Kosovo will have the right to hold a referendum on their own future, which is pretty much what Kosovars did after nine years of transition. Furthermore, the western world, including US, gave Serbia and Russia a chance to resolve their differences through Ahtissari Plan---a UN sponsored plan, which Russia agreed to. Then, after this plan saw no other way out of the dispute but to grant Kosovo independence, Russia backed down from a plan that it had helped to sponsor. Putin claimed that it needed more talks. OK., said the western world, let's honor Russia's request and waste another 6 months of money and plane tickets. The talks, with Russia on board, led to a dangerous dead end. The world had no other choice,then, but to follow what the UN sponsored Ahtissari Plan based on 1244 had said: grant Kosovo supervised independence.

So, you see here, there is no violation of 1244 by Kosovo or those who recognized it. It is precisely Russia that turned its back on UN sponsored plan, and sought to freeze the conflict indefinitely like Abkhazia and other breakaway regions and not let Kosovars move ahead.

Well, the West righfully had enough of Russian obstructionism and uncooperative attitude. For the first time, it looks, most EU countries are on the same page with the US and this is really good for the entire democratic world, which by the way, Russia excludes itself from.

I find these pseudo-intellectuals that prey on the fear that somehow russians are invincible or serbs relevant utterly laughable. I will give you just as many reason why recognizing Kosova was right. But why bother this sofist bs that tries to justify anything is getting a bit trite. Serbs did not have to rape and pillage the way they did. As far as I am concerned they are evil and no matter how ironic ,fight fire with fire or just make Kosova into a successful state. Either way they and theirs are done.

So, when there is a conflict between two warring parties and the UN wants to settle matters, what do you think the answer will be.
If UN can not follow it's own rules, who will want them. politicians are crazy in many ways but i don't think they are that stupid.