Word: kosovo
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Russia seems to be the only country that supports Serbia's position on Kosovo. Russia is not the only country wanting a negotiated, balanced solution. Spain, Slovakia, Romania and others are on record supporting such an approach, and others are more and more open to reasonable views from Belgrade...
Still recoiling from the victory of the ultranationalist Radical Party in last week's parliamentary poll, Serbia is bracing for a new political crisis that could amplify nationalist sentiment. The U.N. is expected shortly to unveil proposals for the future of Serbia's independence-seeking southern province of Kosovo, seen by most Serbs as the cradle of their civilization. Populated mostly by ethnic Albanians, Kosovo was placed under U.N. protectorate status in 1999 after NATO military strikes forced Serbian forces to withdraw, although it remains formally part of Serbia. For most of last year, Serbian and Kosovar envoys negotiated...
...Several diplomats who have seen the draft document tell TIME that the report will not explicitly recommend Kosovo's independence, but that outcome will be strongly suggested in the outline of Kosovo's future institutions. Ahtisaari will also propose that Kosovo be represented in key international organizations, such as the U.N., World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. However, Kosovo's institutions would not be fully sovereign: they will be supervised by an EU office with strong powers, while NATO would be expected to stay in the province for at least a few years. A similar solution has already been...
...Ahtisaari will unveil his plan in Serbia and Kosovo before presenting it to the Contact Group - an informal grouping comprising United States, Russia, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and Japan - behind closed doors in Vienna, where the document may undergo minor changes before being sent to the U.N. Security Council, where a resolution is expected by late March. Although they are to be formally consulted on the plan, neither Serbia nor Kosovo will be able to change it. At present, Russia is the only Contact group member who might oppose Kosovo's independence, but few believe that Moscow will...
...unfortunate for Serbia's moderates, who are trying to form a coalition government from a parliament dominated by the nationalist far right. Some pro-Western leaders even appealed in vain to postpone Ahtisaari's visit. Bozidar Djelic, one of two moderate candidates for Prime Minister, warned that the Kosovo issue could destabilize Serbia. "It is crucial that no unilateral moves are made by the international community before a new democratic government is formed in Belgrade. Unilateral moves, not discussed with a new government, could strengthen the ultra-nationalist camp and lead to new elections where democrats would suffer and extremists...