From my blog (What About Peace?: Kosovo Border Offensive Against Serbia)
As of recent, Kosovo has launched a border offensive against Serbia, yet there aren’t many reports of it within the mainstream news about this ongoing situation.
The situation began just for days ago, on July 26th, when the Kosovo Prime Minister sent “lightly armed special police units” into Serbia to begin “an operation aimed at placing troops loyal to [Kosovo] in a region that takes orders from Serbia.” The region in question is being used by Serbia in its “ongoing campaign to undermine Kosovo's 2008 secession.” [1] The By controlling this region, the Kosovos also planned to “enforce a ban on goods from Serbia to counter years of a similar boycott by Belgrade in response to Kosovo's 2008 secession.”
This move by Kosovo prompted condemnation from the US and the European Union, as well as an attack on a border crossing between Kosovo and Serbia, as ethnic Serbs protested Kosovo’s attempts to take control of the border. [2] The very next day, NATO forces intervened in the Kosovo-Serbia dispute, trying to calm both sides.
[video=youtube;KTJDu99wA2c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTJDu99wA2c&feature=player_embeddedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTJDu99wA2c&feature=player_embedded[/video]
NATO troops were deployed, yet in just a few days they “made a tactical retreat in Kosovo as ethnic Serbs stopped them reaching peacekeepers deployed at border posts with Serbia after a customs dispute turned violent.” [3]
At the heart of this entire conflict is Kosovo’s sovereignty. Serbia sees Kosovo “as its southern province, rejects all imports bearing the symbol of the Kosovo state, as well as travelers coming from Kosovo.” [4] By responding in kind, Kosovo is sending the message that they are a sovereign nation and should be treated as such.
However, in reality, Kosovo is not internationally recognized as a state.
[video=youtube;pFeN0bONRA4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFeN0bONRA4&feature=player_embedded[/video]
Without a doubt, some type of deal is going to have to struck, as the Kosovos want their independence while the Serbs want to keep territory.
Endnotes
1:The Associated Press: Kosovo PM backs deadly move into Serb-run north
2: BBC News - Violence at Kosovo Serbia border
3: Nato troops retreat from Kosovo Serbs | euronews, world news
4: Kosovo flexes muscles and provokes Serbian fury | euronews, world news
As of recent, Kosovo has launched a border offensive against Serbia, yet there aren’t many reports of it within the mainstream news about this ongoing situation.
The situation began just for days ago, on July 26th, when the Kosovo Prime Minister sent “lightly armed special police units” into Serbia to begin “an operation aimed at placing troops loyal to [Kosovo] in a region that takes orders from Serbia.” The region in question is being used by Serbia in its “ongoing campaign to undermine Kosovo's 2008 secession.” [1] The By controlling this region, the Kosovos also planned to “enforce a ban on goods from Serbia to counter years of a similar boycott by Belgrade in response to Kosovo's 2008 secession.”
This move by Kosovo prompted condemnation from the US and the European Union, as well as an attack on a border crossing between Kosovo and Serbia, as ethnic Serbs protested Kosovo’s attempts to take control of the border. [2] The very next day, NATO forces intervened in the Kosovo-Serbia dispute, trying to calm both sides.
[video=youtube;KTJDu99wA2c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTJDu99wA2c&feature=player_embeddedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTJDu99wA2c&feature=player_embedded[/video]
NATO troops were deployed, yet in just a few days they “made a tactical retreat in Kosovo as ethnic Serbs stopped them reaching peacekeepers deployed at border posts with Serbia after a customs dispute turned violent.” [3]
At the heart of this entire conflict is Kosovo’s sovereignty. Serbia sees Kosovo “as its southern province, rejects all imports bearing the symbol of the Kosovo state, as well as travelers coming from Kosovo.” [4] By responding in kind, Kosovo is sending the message that they are a sovereign nation and should be treated as such.
However, in reality, Kosovo is not internationally recognized as a state.
[video=youtube;pFeN0bONRA4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFeN0bONRA4&feature=player_embedded[/video]
Without a doubt, some type of deal is going to have to struck, as the Kosovos want their independence while the Serbs want to keep territory.
Endnotes
1:The Associated Press: Kosovo PM backs deadly move into Serb-run north
2: BBC News - Violence at Kosovo Serbia border
3: Nato troops retreat from Kosovo Serbs | euronews, world news
4: Kosovo flexes muscles and provokes Serbian fury | euronews, world news
