Kosovo

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

i think that overall having Kosovo be independant of Serbia would be good, but am concered it might touch off other movements such as the Basque in Spain and those people in Georgia and of course the Chechan movement might get more violent because of this

plus, with Russia and China backing Serbia, will Kosovo even be admitted to the U.N.?

that's cool about your friend, that seems like an interesting position to be in

Russia is supporting Serbia, no doubt, because of the "Chechen Question." Kosovo being granted a homeland is a pretty compelling precedent for the Chechens to get the same -- if "international law" meant diddly squat anyhow.

The Chinese have their Taiwan issue as well. How to deal with minority groups who lay claim to what you think is your real-estate? Neither of these countries want their separatist movements to have anything new to hang their hats on.

I cannot understand why Spain, Turkey, etc. aren't a little more vocal regarding this issue.

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I cannot understand why Spain, Turkey, etc. aren't a little more vocal regarding this issue.

I think Turkey is being quiet because they want to join the EU. Turkey shouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell in joining if bellarus is barred from doing so. (Invading northern Iraq makes them look not european.)

Spain, i think the other (big) countries are getting annoyed with them, but most of the smaller ones probably suport Kosovo (Estonia having just gotten free a few years ago)

What i don't understand is, why now? Why not years ago when the rest Yugoslavia was torn apart?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

I think Turkey is being quiet because they want to join the EU. Turkey shouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell in joining if bellarus is barred from doing so. (Invading northern Iraq makes them look not european.)

Spain, i think the other (big) countries are getting annoyed with them, but most of the smaller ones probably suport Kosovo (Estonia having just gotten free a few years ago)

What i don't understand is, why now? Why not years ago when the rest Yugoslavia was torn apart?

Kosovo has been a separate state since the Serbians and the KLA started going at it. The UN stepped in and formed a UN protectorate. There was no government infrastructure in place, no Kosovar knew how to operate a government. Organizations like my fraternity brothers (the NDI) and the UN stepped in and educated the leaders on how to run a representative democracy.

Also, it goes without saying that Serbia has been slightly opposed to all of this. There are rumors of an incursion by 1,000ish non-uniformed Serbians wreaking havok in northern Kosovo. The source I got that from was from a linked site on digg, so the veracity of such a thing is always questionable.