It's a shame that the internet is a virtual medium, because there are a lot of people out there that I'd like to express my deep feelings of friendship to, and having spent the last two years here in Serbia, I'd like to do it in a truly Serbian way.
Kosovo Rejects Comparison with South Ossetia
| 11 August 2008 |
“Each country has its own specifics. Kosovo is a 'sui generis' case,” the Deputy Prime Minister, Hajredin Kuci, told Balkan Insight.
In support of this case he noted that Kosovo's independence had been supported by a number of countries, which was not the case with South Ossetia.
Ilir Dugolli, from the think-tank, Kosovar Institute for Policy Research and Development, KIPRED, made the same point.
“Any parallel between Kosovo and South Ossetia is false. Kosovo had been an international protectorate for eight years, with an open status that was to be resolved, which is not the case with South Ossetia,” Dugolli told Balkan Insight.
Kosovo was an autonomous province of Serbia in the old Yugoslav federation. After an armed
conflict between local Albanians and the Serbian government escalated in late 1990s, NATO launched a bombing campaign against Serbia to stop the fighting and force Serbia to withdraw.
The UN has administrated Kosovo since 1999. Kosovo declared independence on February 17 and has been recognised by 45 countries, including the US and most EU states. Serbia and its ally Russia have denounced the move.
2008-08-11 18:35:08