Post by Fender on Feb 19, 2008 8:23:44 GMT -5
UNITED WE FALL
EU Divisions Shine Through in Kosovo 'Agreement'
By Hans-Jürgen Schlamp in Brussels
Listening to Brussels, it sounds like the European Union is one big happy family when it comes to Kosovo's declaration of independence. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Europe's foreign ministers were satisfied with their day's work on Monday. Following hours of discussion over how the European Union should respond to Kosovo's declaration of independence, the foreign policy heads were in a self-congratulatory mood. "A success for Europe," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the statement they had hammered out. "The European Union has once again survived this test of unity," seconded his Slovenian counterpart Dimitrij Rupel, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said, "it's the end of a very long crisis and a period of great tension in this region of the world."
DPA
A wall in Kosovo expressing thanks to all those countries which have recognized Kosovo so far.
Impressive words, to be sure. But a glance at the text that the EU leaders came up with leaves one with a slightly different impression. "The council notes that member states will decide, in accordance with national practice and international law, on their relations with Kosovo," the text reads.
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Will Kosovo's independence lead to headaches for the West?
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By Subverted
The European Union, in other words, is hopelessly divided when it comes to Kosovo. A majority of EU countries, one keeps hearing, is in favor of Kosovo independence. But a closer look reveals that the majority is far from overwhelming. Some 17 countries of the 27-member total are eager to recognize the new nation, including Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain, (more...) all of which announced their intention on Monday to welcome Kosovo into existence. But that leaves a large number of European countries who are either against Kosovo independence, or unsure. Greece, Cyprus, and Slovakia see the secession of Kosovo from Serbia as a violation of international law. Romania, too, is skeptical. Spain is positively apoplectic. The Netherlands, for its part, is taking a wait-and-see approach before it commits itself.
Europe's competing visions for how to respond to Kosovo's declaration of independence has mirrored the world's response so far. US President George W. Bush immediately welcomed Kosovo into the international community, saying that "history will prove this to be the correct move." Australia too jumped onto the Kosovo bandwagon. But Russia and China have both, as expected, come out against independence (more...) for the province, which is populated primarily by ethnic Albanians. And there are plenty of nations playing the Netherlands card. Canada is "assessing" the situation in view of its own secession-prone province of Quebec. India too has refused to commit, and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark says her country will neither recognize nor not recognize Kosovo's independence.
PHOTO GALLERY: KOSOVO'S 18 YEAR PATH TO INDEPENDENCE
Click on a picture to launch the image gallery (17 Photos)
Brussels, though, has for months said it was close to an EU-wide approach to the Kosovo question. Barring a few exceptions, the impression was always that of a happy family largely in agreement about a vital issue right outside Europe's front door. Instead, the EU has once again come up with a typical Brussels solution: We all agree that each EU country should do what it wants.
After all, each European country has a different reality to deal with. Spain is concerned about the lesson its separatist Basque population could learn from Kosovo. Namely, if the conflict is bloody enough, the international community may even accept independence in order to bring it to an end. The Basques have already issued a statement saying it welcomed Kosovo's declaration of independence as a "new example of the right of self-determination."
REPRINTS
Find out how you can reprint this SPIEGEL ONLINE article in your publication. Spain is not the only EU member with such problems. And it is unlikely that the carefully formulated statement identifying Kosovo as an exception that doesn't set a precedent ("Kosovo constitutes a sui generis case," the statement reads) will do much to dampen any separatist enthusiasms.
What happens next, though, is completely unclear. EU officials said that a donor conference for Kosovo would be held soon, an idea supported by the US, in order to collect money to keep the destitute state afloat. The European Commission has pledged €1 billion already, with a package of trade deals likely. Until now, much of Kosovo's economy has been propped up by money received from the UN -- in 2007 it was €150 million ($220 million) -- and remittances from Kosovars living overseas (which added up to €370 million in 2007).
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The EU has agreed to send a mission including some 2,000 police, judiciary experts, and civil service experts to Kosovo to help the country get started. The mission, called EULEX, will work together with their local counterparts "helping in the exercise of their responsibilities," the mission statement indicates, somewhat vaguely. Just what the EU mission will do should violence arise between Kosovo's ethnically Albanian majority and the Serbian minority hasn't been mentioned. And what would be the EU's position should the Serbian enclave north of Mitrovica declare independence and express a wish to be joined with Serbia? It's hard to know.
The important thing is for the EU to show unity. After all, the countries of the Western Balkans all have a "European perspective" -- a phrase which holds out the carrot of eventual EU membership. Kosovo too has been courted with the possibility of eventual EU accession -- even if a number of its members don't even recognize the baby state's existence.
Still, to quote Kouchner, Kosovo independence was "a great success for Europe." He went on to say: "Don't take things tragically. It was very expected, and things are going even better than expected. I see big headlines saying 'Europe Divided.' But what divisions?"
EU Divisions Shine Through in Kosovo 'Agreement'
By Hans-Jürgen Schlamp in Brussels
Listening to Brussels, it sounds like the European Union is one big happy family when it comes to Kosovo's declaration of independence. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Europe's foreign ministers were satisfied with their day's work on Monday. Following hours of discussion over how the European Union should respond to Kosovo's declaration of independence, the foreign policy heads were in a self-congratulatory mood. "A success for Europe," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the statement they had hammered out. "The European Union has once again survived this test of unity," seconded his Slovenian counterpart Dimitrij Rupel, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said, "it's the end of a very long crisis and a period of great tension in this region of the world."
DPA
A wall in Kosovo expressing thanks to all those countries which have recognized Kosovo so far.
Impressive words, to be sure. But a glance at the text that the EU leaders came up with leaves one with a slightly different impression. "The council notes that member states will decide, in accordance with national practice and international law, on their relations with Kosovo," the text reads.
FORUM
Will Kosovo's independence lead to headaches for the West?
Discuss the issue with other SPIEGEL ONLINE readers!
26 Posts
Latest Post: Today 02:21 am
By Subverted
The European Union, in other words, is hopelessly divided when it comes to Kosovo. A majority of EU countries, one keeps hearing, is in favor of Kosovo independence. But a closer look reveals that the majority is far from overwhelming. Some 17 countries of the 27-member total are eager to recognize the new nation, including Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain, (more...) all of which announced their intention on Monday to welcome Kosovo into existence. But that leaves a large number of European countries who are either against Kosovo independence, or unsure. Greece, Cyprus, and Slovakia see the secession of Kosovo from Serbia as a violation of international law. Romania, too, is skeptical. Spain is positively apoplectic. The Netherlands, for its part, is taking a wait-and-see approach before it commits itself.
Europe's competing visions for how to respond to Kosovo's declaration of independence has mirrored the world's response so far. US President George W. Bush immediately welcomed Kosovo into the international community, saying that "history will prove this to be the correct move." Australia too jumped onto the Kosovo bandwagon. But Russia and China have both, as expected, come out against independence (more...) for the province, which is populated primarily by ethnic Albanians. And there are plenty of nations playing the Netherlands card. Canada is "assessing" the situation in view of its own secession-prone province of Quebec. India too has refused to commit, and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark says her country will neither recognize nor not recognize Kosovo's independence.
PHOTO GALLERY: KOSOVO'S 18 YEAR PATH TO INDEPENDENCE
Click on a picture to launch the image gallery (17 Photos)
Brussels, though, has for months said it was close to an EU-wide approach to the Kosovo question. Barring a few exceptions, the impression was always that of a happy family largely in agreement about a vital issue right outside Europe's front door. Instead, the EU has once again come up with a typical Brussels solution: We all agree that each EU country should do what it wants.
After all, each European country has a different reality to deal with. Spain is concerned about the lesson its separatist Basque population could learn from Kosovo. Namely, if the conflict is bloody enough, the international community may even accept independence in order to bring it to an end. The Basques have already issued a statement saying it welcomed Kosovo's declaration of independence as a "new example of the right of self-determination."
REPRINTS
Find out how you can reprint this SPIEGEL ONLINE article in your publication. Spain is not the only EU member with such problems. And it is unlikely that the carefully formulated statement identifying Kosovo as an exception that doesn't set a precedent ("Kosovo constitutes a sui generis case," the statement reads) will do much to dampen any separatist enthusiasms.
What happens next, though, is completely unclear. EU officials said that a donor conference for Kosovo would be held soon, an idea supported by the US, in order to collect money to keep the destitute state afloat. The European Commission has pledged €1 billion already, with a package of trade deals likely. Until now, much of Kosovo's economy has been propped up by money received from the UN -- in 2007 it was €150 million ($220 million) -- and remittances from Kosovars living overseas (which added up to €370 million in 2007).
NEWSLETTER
Sign up for Spiegel Online's daily newsletter and get the best of Der Spiegel's and Spiegel Online's international coverage in your In- Box everyday.
The EU has agreed to send a mission including some 2,000 police, judiciary experts, and civil service experts to Kosovo to help the country get started. The mission, called EULEX, will work together with their local counterparts "helping in the exercise of their responsibilities," the mission statement indicates, somewhat vaguely. Just what the EU mission will do should violence arise between Kosovo's ethnically Albanian majority and the Serbian minority hasn't been mentioned. And what would be the EU's position should the Serbian enclave north of Mitrovica declare independence and express a wish to be joined with Serbia? It's hard to know.
The important thing is for the EU to show unity. After all, the countries of the Western Balkans all have a "European perspective" -- a phrase which holds out the carrot of eventual EU membership. Kosovo too has been courted with the possibility of eventual EU accession -- even if a number of its members don't even recognize the baby state's existence.
Still, to quote Kouchner, Kosovo independence was "a great success for Europe." He went on to say: "Don't take things tragically. It was very expected, and things are going even better than expected. I see big headlines saying 'Europe Divided.' But what divisions?"