The hundred days that followed Kosovo’s self-independence failed to bring peace to the war-ravaged Serbian province. Analysts forecast a worst-case scenario. Aleksandr Torshin, deputy speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, visited Kosovo as head of an observers’ mission from the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly. He was struck by an abundance of military equipment and people in military uniform. “Even in Chechnya, in the worst of times, I never saw such a mass of weaponry and equipment. It is hard to understand how these mixed troops are run. It seemed to me the province is divided into occupation zones, all those allocated to NATO countries”. The Russian parliamentarian was especially surprised by the appearance of German soldiers: “As I was leaving Mitrovica, my eye caught three German armoured personnel carriers with black crosses on their sides. The soldiers’ appearance was a shock to me. Their beards made them look like mujahedeen. It was a fantastic sight. This was the first time I had seen such Bundeswehr men”.
Political analyst Alexander Rahr said, “The hundred days of Kosovo’s declaration of independence will be given a low-key celebration in the European Union, if at all. Most likely, the date will be quietly skipped… because there is nothing to boast about. The European Union lacks a solid legal basis for recognising Kosovo”. The EU, he believes, is still split over the issue of Kosovo’s independence, which in one way or another feeds through to relations with Russia. “Those who expected some progress with Medvedev installed as president were wrong. Russia is firm in its stance. It refuses to recognise the independence of Kosovo and the legitimacy of moves by countries that did. The differences that plagued West-Russia relations while Kosovo was distancing itself from Serbia have not been healed. Now, a new issue tops the agenda, independence for Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transdnestria as a response to what took place in Kosovo”. According to Mr Rahr, some analysts believe that the situation in Kosovo is a lull before a devastating storm. “Anything can be expected”, he said. “Russia, naturally, predicts a conflict between the Serb and Muslim populations. Separatist movements across Europe may take cue from the Kosovo precedent and make their cases”.
28 May 2008
Kommersant
RIA-Novosti
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20080528/108726330.html (in English)
