Kosovo declares independence

[PakForce Unlimited]

Kosovo declares independence​

Kosovo has declared itself an independent nation at a special session of parliament in the capital Pristina, in defiance of opposition from Serbia and Russia.

"Kosovo is a republic - an independent, democratic and sovereign state," parliament speaker Jakup Krasniqi said as the chamber burst into applause.

Across the capital revelers fired guns into the air, waved red and black Albanian flags and honked car horns in jubilation at the birth of the world's newest country.

Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said earlier: "This is the will of the people. We are on the brink of a very crucial moment - an important decision that will make us one of the free nations of the world."

By side-stepping the UN and appealing directly to the US and other nations for recognition, Kosovo's independence sets up a showdown with Serbia - outraged at the imminent loss of its territory - and Russia, which warned that it would set a dangerous precedent for separatist groups worldwide.

Thaci signed 192 separate letters to nations around the world -including Serbia - asking them to recognise Kosovo as a state. But Serbia, which considers Kosovo the heart of its ancestral homeland, declared the secession "invalid and illegal"."

Underscoring Serb anger, about 1,000 people staged a noisy protest in Belgrade on Saturday, waving Serbian flags and chanting "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia".

Kosovo had formally remained a part of Serbia even though it has been administered by the UN and Nato since 1999, when Nato airstrikes ended former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. The war claimed about 10,000 lives and drove nearly one million people from their homes.

The province is still protected by 16,000 Nato-led peacekeepers, and the alliance boosted its patrols over the weekend in hopes of discouraging violence. International police, meanwhile, deployed to back up local forces in the tense north.

US President George W Bush said on a visit to Africa that the US "will continue to work with our allies to the very best we can to make sure there's no violence".

Link: The Press Association: Kosovo declares independence

 

[solid snake]

Good luck to this new Muslim nation.

The Kosovans want to join Albania, but the EU is not allowing them to. The Kosovans are in the streets waving Albanian and American flags. They are happy that the US and UK have recognized them from the start, and also for helping them out in the war against the Serbs.

Who says the US hates Muslims?

 

[Flintlock]

Thus ends (I hope) the sad saga of the Balkans. I think South Asia can learn a lesson from these guys.

 

[solid snake]

Thus ends (I hope) the sad saga of the Balkans. I think South Asia can learn a lesson from these guys.

Are you suggesting an independent Kashmir? Both Pakistan and India say they want whatever Kashmiris want, but neither of them will give up their respective parts of the state.

I think a solution lies in creating a semi-independet region, with citizens being born in Pakistani and Indian controlled Kashmirs being the citizens of the same state.

People living in parts currently controlled by Pakistan pay taxes to the Pakistani government as well as to kashmir, and people living in current Indian Kashmir pay taxes to India and Kashmir. Citizens of Kashmir can live/work/travel between Abbotabad/Gilgit/Srinagar at will.

Something like that has to be done.

 

[Flintlock]

Are you suggesting an independent Kashmir? Both Pakistan and India say they want whatever Kashmiris want, but neither of them will give up their respective parts of the state.

I think a solution lies in creating a semi-independet region, with citizens being born in Pakistani and Indian controlled Kashmirs being the citizens of the same state.

People living in parts currently controlled by Pakistan pay taxes to the Pakistani government as well as to kashmir, and people living in current Indian Kashmir pay taxes to India and Kashmir. Citizens of Kashmir can live/work/travel between Abbotabad/Gilgit/Srinagar at will.

Something like that has to be done.

The lesson to be learnt is that people who can't keep their differences aside and form partnerships, suffer because of it.

I don't know, frankly what the solution of kashmir is.

Being a patriotic Indian, I would definitely prefer of Kashmir can integrate peacefully with India and prosper.

 

[F.O.X]

Best of Luck to This Nation for their Independence, May they have a good future ahead.



Regards
Wilco

 

[solid snake]

The lesson to be learnt is that people who can't keep their differences aside and form partnerships, suffer because of it.

I don't know, frankly what the solution of kashmir is.

Being a patriotic Indian, I would definitely prefer of Kashmir can integrate peacefully with India and prosper.

This thread is about Kosovo and I don't want to derail it, but India considers Afghanistan it's neighbor, because it considers Pakistani Kashmir a part of India as well. We both know that Srinagar is never going to be in Paksitan nor is Gilgit ever going to be in India. So an intermediate solution has to be found. That's all I'm going to say here.

 

[Sino-PakFriendship]

Today Kosovo
Tomorrow Taiwan

Then CCP send a troop to fight against Taiwanese independence
USA supports Taiwan

Sino-American War occurs => End of the World

 

[khanz]

congratulations and best of luck to them

 

[PakForce Unlimited]

Some pictures before they declared independence

http://bildr.no/view/157436

http://bildr.no/view/157441

http://bildr.no/view/157444

http://bildr.no/view/157446

http://bildr.no/view/157448

http://bildr.no/view/157450

http://bildr.no/view/157451

http://bildr.no/view/157452

 

[PakForce Unlimited]

The flag of the new state


View attachment 408

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

wow what a move taken by the bunch of C I A masterminds.
Now neither Serbia nor Russia is accepting the independence. By supporting the Iran's nuclear programe and going against US, Russia was definately wining the hearts of many muslim communities of the world. And Russians were almost there in making a Muslimblock for its strategic interests. Now many muslims of the world will not feel good about the Russian attitude.
Slowly and steadily Uncle Sam is hunting down the old Russian Grizzly in the Balkans.
Good Show C.I.A Brabo...Brabo....Brabo

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

Good move by US to isolate Russia from Muslim community

 

[Spring Onion]

Newly independent Kosovo awaits the world's recognition

by Robert MacPherson
2 hours, 40 minutes ago



PRISTINA (AFP) - Kosovo began a push for global recognition Monday after its declaration of independence from Serbia sparked riots in Belgrade and a Russian bid to block the move at the United Nations.

ADVERTISEMENT

The United States and the major European powers had been expected to give swift diplomatic recognition, but as EU foreign ministers wrangled over how to react, Germany signalled a delay to its recognition.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her government would not decide on Monday whether to give formal recognition. She said Germany would wait for the EU meeting "to put in place a platform that will allow each member to take a position on the declaration of independence."

In Kosovo's capital, Pristina, where cleaners struggled to clear downtown streets after a long night of euphoric celebrations, the sense of anticipation remained high.

Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, the former anti-Serb guerrilla leader who wants to move quickly to make Kosovo the 193rd member of the United Nations, was to hold a cabinet meeting as EU foreign ministers met in Brussels.

Slovenia's Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, whose country -- like Kosovo a remnant of the former Yugoslavia -- holds the EU's rotating presidency, said in Brussels that he understood "many EU member states" would recognise Kosovo.

"The independence of Kosovo will be meaningful only when it is recognised by the international community, and there is no doubt that that is going to happen starting from today," the Infopress newspaper in Pristina said in an editorial.

Independence was declared Sunday in parliament, which is dominated by representatives of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority.

Tens of thousands of people in Pristina erupted in cheers as the Kosovo parliament formally voted to break from Serbia -- completing the violent breakup of Yugoslavia that stained Europe with bloodshed over nearly two decades.

"We are now an independent, free, sovereign and democratic country," declared Kosovo parliament speaker Jakup Krasniqi, as lawmakers took turns signing the historic document that promises democracy, human rights and respect for Serbs and other minority groups.

The survival of the world's newest country -- small, landlocked and economically dependent on US and EU largesse -- hinges very much on who its friends will be on the international stage.

It is bitterly opposed by Serbia, which covets Kosovo as the cradle of Serb culture and religion, and by Russia. Many countries facing separatist movements also have reservations.

Demonstrations against independence were expected in a number of minority Serb enclaves Monday, as the NATO-led peacekeeping Kosovo Force remained on high alert throughout the new state.

In Belgrade, riot police using tear gas and batons dispersed about 800 youths who went on the rampage for several hours, smashing two McDonald's restaurants, and hurling stones and flares at the US and Slovenian embassies.

Hospital officials said at least 50 people including 20 policemen were injured during the clashes.

Serbia's President Boris Tadic declared: "Serbia has reacted and will react with all peaceful, diplomatic and legal means to annul this act committed by Kosovo's institutions."

Russia called a special meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, but failed to secure backing for its call to declare Kosovo's declaration "null and void".

Back in Kosovo, in the ethnically divided town of Kosovska Mitrovica, four grenades were thrown at buildings housing the UN and the EU mission, said police, but only one exploded and there were no reported injuries.

Some 10,000 people died in the 1998-1999 Kosovo war as Serb forces tried to put down ethnic Albanian separatists. A NATO air war against Serbia halted the conflict and put Kosovo under interim UN administration.

 

[Spring Onion]

Bush recognizes Kosovo's independence 41 minutes ago



ARUSHA, Tanzania - President Bush on Monday hailed Kosovo's bold and historic bid for statehood, saying "The Kosovars are now independent."

ADVERTISEMENT

Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership announced its independence from Serbia over the weekend, and suspense gripped the province on Monday as its citizens awaited key backing from the United States and key European powers.

"It's something that I've advocated along with my government," Bush said in an interview on NBC's "Today."

By appealing directly to the U.S. and other nations for recognition, Kosovo's independence set up a showdown with Serbia — outraged at the imminent loss of its territory — and Russia.

In Washington Monday, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement: "The United States is reviewing this issue and discussing it with its European partners. ... The United States calls on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and to refrain from any provocative act."

The department said it planned an additional statement later Monday.

McCormack said he welcomed the Kosovo government's commitment to protect ethnic minorities.

"The U.S. has long believed ... supervised independence was the best way to promote regional stability," the spokesman said.

Kosovo had formally remained a part of Serbia even though it has been administered by the U.N. and NATO since 1999, when NATO airstrikes ended former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists, which killed 10,000 people.

In April 2007, U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari recommended that Kosovo be granted internationally supervised independence. But talks that followed failed to yield an agreement between the ethnic Albanian leadership, which pushed for full statehood, and Serbia, which was willing to offer only autonomy.

"The Ahtisaari plan is our blueprint forward," Bush said. "We'll watch to see how the events unfold today. The Kosovars are now independent."

Serbia made clear it would never accept Kosovo's statehood. On Monday, Serbia said it would seek to block Kosovo from gaining diplomatic recognition and membership in the U.N. and other international organizations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued that independence without U.N. approval would set a dangerous precedent for "frozen conflicts" across the former Soviet Union, where separatists in Chechnya and Georgia are agitating for independence.

European Union nations have stood deeply divided over whether to recognize Kosovo's independence as their foreign ministers gathered in Brussels, Belgium, to try to forge a common stance. Britain, France, Germany and Ireland indicated they would push ahead with recognition. But Spain, which has struggled with its own separatist movement in the Basque region, called Kosovo's declaration illegal.

On Sunday, Bush said the U.S. will work to prevent violent clashes following the historic announcement.

"The United States will continue to work with our allies to do the very best we can to make sure there's no violence," Bush said several hours before Kosovo's parliament approved the declaration.

___

Bush recognizes Kosovo's independence - Yahoo! News