Serbia, Kosovo Plot Strategy After Court Ruling
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NEWS: Kosovo Hospitals Hand Out Weak Medicine to Children Now 24 pages July 30 - September 3, 2010 Issue No. 45 www.prishtinainsight.com Price € 1 NEWS Malcolm: Kosovo Should Lobby Africa on ‘Shared’ Colonial Past > page 2-3 NEWS Transport Official Arrested For Wiping Ministry Server > page 5 BUSINESS Business Park Sparks Concerns By Edon Muhaxheri Edon By Prishtina’s Picture Postcard Image: Prishtina Insight commissioned this mock postcard following the municipality’s decision to dig up the city during the height of the summer season. Read more on page 8 > page 6 CITY Mystery of Serbia, Kosovo Plot Strategy Prishtina’s ‘Timeless’ Clock After Court Ruling > page 8 While Prishtina insists the World Court opinion closes the issue of Kosovo’s status, Serbia is gearing for up a new CULTURE UN resolution, which it hopes will keep the subject very much alive. By Petrit Collaku and violate international law, Serbia Skender Hyseni, has began a and Kosovo needs another 25 to Dokufest is Bojana Barlovac reiterated it would not abandon series of meetings in New York to gain a majority in the UN in time the struggle over what it calls its push the process forward, promis- to counter a Serbian resolution in Back in Force erbia and Kosovo have been “Jerusalem”. ing 35 recognitions in the mean- September in the General busy shoring up their respec- Since the World Court delivered time. Assembly, dealing with the ICJ > page 12 Stive positions in the run-up to its advisory opinion, Kosovo said Hyseni’s office said that he has decision. expected negotiations, following it was expecting new recognitions “tens of meetings scheduled” with For UN membership, Kosovo will the ruling of the International from countries that had held back, representatives of countries at UN need a recommendation from the Court of Justice, ICJ, on July 22. waiting for the ICJ to pronounce. headquarters. Security Council before it can be put While Kosovo has declared July It has sent letters to 120 foreign So far, 69 countries, including to the General Assembly. New mem- 22 an historic day, after the Court ministries calling on their coun- the United States and 22 of the 27 bers require approval of a two-thirds ruled that that its unilateral decla- tries to recognise its statehood, EU countries, have recognised majority. ration of independence did not while the Foreign Minister, Kosovo. But around 120 have not, continues page 4 FEATURE Hip Hop Becomes IMF Predicts Sustained GDP New Powers for EU Bosnia the Sound of Kosovo Growth for Kosovo Envoy Questioned > page 14 The IMF is predicting that Kosovo’s GDP A Bosnia-based source confirmed on per capita, currently the lowest in Europe, Wednesday to Prishtina Insight the exis- will grow by 3 per cent from 1,766 to 2,360 tence of the confidential document by euro over the next six years. Europe’s foreign minister, Baroness The analysis came as the IMF approved a Ashton, urging the creation of a powerful grant of 109 million euro over the next 18 new envoy to Bosnia with powers to months to support... impose travel bans and free... business page 6 news page 9 Y M is supported by: C K 2 July 30 - Sep 3, 2010 news Dear Teta Mia... Malcolm: Kosovo Should Lobby Historian Dr Noel Malcolm, the author of the seminal ‘Kosovo A Short History’, talks of how Kosovo could Teta Mia solves your problems secure more recognitions following the International Court of Justice decision and discusses Kosovo’s place in the world of international diplomacy for America to have the job of telling graphic study of all the mosques and all Who is George Washington? them what to do in their foreign policy. So, Islamic building that were destroyed or I think it is up to Kosovo itself to do this. damaged by Serbia in 1999. This sort of Patriot, Prishtina And I think it has to deal with several dif- materials has some psychological effect. By Jeta Xharra hat is this ignorance, Patriot? How can ferent problems. One is the pressure of When Saudi Arabia recognised Kosovo, it you not know who George Washington Russian policy. Russia has been very said ‘we do so not only we recogniwe the Wis? Don’t they teach you basic history at active even in the Islamic world putting will of Kosovo people but also we recogni- school? Well, I suppose I must enlighten you. uestion: Dr Malcolm, Kosovo pressure on countries not to recognise we their cultural and religious ties to our In short, George Washington was the first con- has been independent for two Kosovo. own people’. years now but it has only stitutional president of the United States of Q Question: Kosovars are worried to Question: And to the Africans? What attracted recognitions from western America, the flag of which glorious country stress their Islamic identity from fear could we stress when Kosovars talk to countries and it is having problems graces the petrol stations and armoured person- of being identified as an Islamic coun- Africans? That is, if they ever get a communicating and getting recogni- nel carriers of our own dear land. try. Should that worry still persist? chance to go since Kosovo passports tions from countries of Arab, African Answer: As a general statement to the are not accepted there, you can even His role in the American revolution and the and Latin American world. What world about what Kosovo is and how it get the delegation practically there. ensuing independence from Britain was crucial should Kosovars be doing? identifies itself, that is a very reasonable Answer: Well, I think the passport issue to the development of this new nation. Not only Noel Malcolm: Well, it is difficult for me worry. There is no reason for Kosovo to is just a practical detail. This is some- was he an outstanding soldier and strategist, he do give advice because I am not a profes- present itself generally as an Islamic where where Western countries can sure- was also acutely aware of the factional pressures sional diplomat, I am not even a diplomat country, it is very different form the Arab, ly help and if necessary can arrange spe- within his fledgling republic and strove to and I know that the Foreign Ministry in Islamic states. But in its negotiations cial diplomatic passes. I think that is not remain aloof from party politics and representa- Prishtina is doing a lot on this and I don’t with the Islamic the main problem. tive of all Americans. know the details of negotiations. But I states over this Yes, Africa is another case where there Remembered as accepting public office only think there are problems for Kosovo now. issue, I think are other problems. I think one theme that reluctantly (first as Commander-in-Chief of the At the beginning it was clear that the it has the Kosovo can reasonably emphasize talking revolutionary forces in 1775, and then as big Western powers would help with right to to many African and Third World coun- President of the United States in 1789 and again and do the main job of approaching remind tries is that in many ways Kosovo was in a in 1793), George Washington is one of Plato’s other countries and recommending them situation of colonised and a colonialised rare “philosopher-kings”. It seems he even tried recognition of independence. I that the country and society. And these are not to refuse his presidential salary on account of think that the easy countries have majority phrases that I am using widely. being wealthy already – but was persuaded to been done now, the ones that of its In the 1920s Serbia had an official colo- take it in order to open up future presidencies to responded easily to advice popula- nialisation program, they had Office of those with no independent means. Britain or America. tion is Colonialisation in Belgrade, they sent On leaving office, resisting colleagues’ pres- You cannot go to many coun- either 70,000 people to colonise Kosovo, which sure to stay on for a third term, Washington left tries in Africa as an old colonial Islamic or was at that time was 10 per cent of the us some bons mots in his farewell address. I power like Britain and just tell at least of total population. And you know that the think, Confused, that this address may still have them what to do in their foreign poli- the Islamic whole nature of the Serbian policy for some relevance for us today. cy. And America, as we know, has suf- background much of the 20th Century, not the best part For example, Washington is adamant about fered some damage to its reputation and cultural her- of the Tito period, not most of, the rest of respecting the separation of powers of the differ- in foreign policy, particularly, obvi- itage. Perhaps, I the 20th century was very much like the ent organs of state. We need “caution in those ously in the Arab world but also in know there was a colonial policy. So this is something that intrusted with [a country’s] administration,” Latin America. big photo- Africans can relate to very directly. and should avoid “in the exercise of the powers I don’t think Question: You wrote the first inter- of one department to encroach upon another. it is good The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate national history of Kosovo. How root- the powers of all the departments in one, and ed and established do you think thus to create, whatever the form of government, Kosovo is as a distinct territory a real despotism…” For this, we must have “reci- and what do you see as the procal checks in the exercise of political power.” roots of the Kosovar identi- He also warns against developing favouritism ty? for a particular foreign country, because it can Answer: Well, it depends lead to “concessions to the favorite Nation of what you mean by rooted as a privileges denied to others” for various reasons, distinct territory.