Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Russia, West close to compromise on Kosova

ZAGREB, Croatia - Russia, the United States and the European Union have reached a compromise on the future of the United Nations-run Serbian province of Kosovo, a Croatian newspaper reported yesterday quoting sources "close to the Russian leadership." Also yesterday, Russia requested an emergency conference to discuss an arms-control pact after accusing NATO nations of ignoring the deal negotiated in the months after the Cold War ended.

Jutarnji List, one of Croatia's biggest dailies, cited its Moscow-based sources as saying Russia would not veto a Western-backed U.N. resolution granting Kosovo independence if certain conditions were met.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority is impatient for independence after eight years of U.N. stewardship and has the backing of the United States and its European allies.

Serbia rejects a breakaway and has enlisted the aid of Russia, which has hinted that it could veto a U.N. independence resolution now being pushed by Western powers.

"If Moscow shows readiness to accept the plan for Kosovo, as proposed by U.N. mediator Martti Ahtisaari, then Brussels and Washington would in exchange accept a two-year moratorium on Kosovo membership in the United Nations," the daily said.

Another condition would be a Russian military presence in the isolated Serb minority enclaves in Kosovo, the daily said.

Russia sent peacekeepers to Kosovo after NATO intervened in 1999 to expel Serb troops and halt the killing of civilians in a counterinsurgency war. It later withdrew them.
"The third condition is that NATO, which is expected to next year invite Croatia, Albania and Macedonia to become full members, does not extend the same invitation to the former Soviet republics of Ukraine and Georgia," the daily said.

It said diplomats in Moscow thought this solution would satisfy the major powers. The West is eager to resolve the issue in time for their Group of Eight summit in Germany on June 6 to 8.
But such an outcome is unlikely to be welcomed by Serbia, which says that independence for its spiritual heartland is unthinkable, and is counting on its sometime-ally Moscow to block independence and press for a "compromise solution."

The official Serbian suggestion is that the province should be autonomous under international supervision for 10 to 20 years before a final decision is made on its status. It is not the first time that the idea of a moratorium on Kosovo's membership in the United Nations has been floated as a way to ensure Russia's acquiescence in Kosovo's independence.

In Moscow yesterday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it had "approached the Netherlands, the depositary of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, with a request to call an emergency conference on June 12 to 15 in Vienna."

President Vladimir Putin froze Moscow's commitments under the CFE treaty last month and said Russia could quit if a Russia-NATO council failed to find a solution suitable to Moscow.
The Foreign Ministry did not specify what Russia was planning to propose at the Vienna conference, but it likely relates to U.S. plans to build a missile shield in Eastern Europe.
Russia opposes the scheme to base 10 missile interceptors in Poland and radar in the Czech Republic from 2012 to head off what Washington sees as a threat from Iran and North Korea.
Washington Times

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

DiCarlo reiterates US support for Montenegro's EU aspirations


PODGORICA, Montenegro, May 23, 2007 -- US Deputy Assistant Secretary Rosemary DiCarlo reiterated her country's support Tuesday (May 22nd) for Montenegro's EU integration efforts. She said that Montenegro, which marked the first anniversary of its independence this week, has made tremendous progress in the past 12 months. DiCarlo said the US wants to boost bilateral economic, trade and military co-operation with the country.

Also Tuesday, Miroslav Lajcak, who served as special EU envoy for the Montenegrin independence referendum in 2006, said that the country has entered a phase of a normal political development. The most important issue right now, he said, is adopting a new constitution. (Mina, RTCG - 22/05/07)

Vizita e Bushit në Shqipëri, ta presim si mik apo…


Nuk do të desha të përdor në titullin e këtij shkrimi antonimin e fjalës mik. Nuk ka dyshim se ne shqiptarët dimë ti presim miqtë dhe duhet thënë se shquhemi për mikëpritje. Por duke qenë se sapo u ktheva nga një vizitë në Shqipëri më duhet të hedh nja dy mendime rreth vizitës së Bushit në Shqipëri.

Gjatë vizitës së sipërpërmendur në Shqipëri, në biseda me njerëz të thjeshtë dëgjoja shprehje ku ironizohej presidenti amerikan, por tek tuk edhe shprehje që në sos bartnin urrejtje të paktën nuk ishin dashamirëse. Në shoqëritë demokratike kjo gjë është mëse normale. Por, më duket paksa e tepëruar që ne shqiptarët, pasi që nuk kemi kurajon e duhur të ndryshojmë diçka në sjelljen e klasës sonë politike që është përgjegjësja kryesore e prapambetjes së pashoqe të Shqipërisë, kalojmë në derogacion, në shfryrje dufi tek njeriu më i fuqishëm (politikisht…) i planetit. Ja pra, presidenti i Amerikës bëhet tabelë qitjeje dhe duhet të presi gjithë ato atë çka nuk kemi guximin tua themi dot politikanëve tanë.

Vizita e Bushit e një rëndëse të jashtzakonshme

Vizitës e Xhorxh Bushit në Shqipëri nuk iu bë ndonjë jehonë e madhe në Shqipëri. Përveç faktit se kush do ta shoqëronte zonjën e parë amerikane. Duhet thënë se veç vizitës së Papa Gjon Palit të dytë në vitin 1994 asnjë vizitë tjetër zyrtare apo private nuk ngjitet dot në lartësinë e vizitës së presidentit Bush. Që nga viti 1990, të gjithë kryeministrat dhe presidentët shqiptarë kanë tentuar të ndjellin një president amerikanë të vizitojë Shqipërinë por...Ndonjëherë të duket normale që një njeri që duhet të mendoj për Shtetet e Bashkuara të Amerikës por dhe për shtetet e botës të mos i bier radha të vizitoj një shtet prej tre milionë e gjysëm banorësh dhe ja që shorti apo rëndësia e Shqipërisë bënë që Bus! ! h të thotë “më 10 qershor 2007 do jem në Tiranë”.

Si duhet pritur Xhorxh Bush ?

Zyrtarisht. Oh, zyrtarisht buzëqeshjet janë gati dhe janë testuar kushedi sa herë. Rezultati ? Pozitiv. Pas takimeve një deklaratë për atë çafarë u diskutua ( jo të gjitha ...) Betime për miqësi të sinqertë etj etj.

Jo zyrtarisht ? Kjo përbënë diferencën. Ka dy skenare. Së pari: Ne shqiptarët të rivishemi me iternacionalizmën proletar që na ka mësuar ish partia në pushtet për 53 vjetë. Ka plotë çështje që mund të rregullojmë duke protestuar kundër vizitës së Bushit në Shqipëri. Ndër to le të përmendim çështjen e Irakut, Palestinës, një pjesë e problemeve të Afrikës etj. A nuk e presin Bushin me protesta në shumë vende të Amerikës Latine apo në rajone të tjera të botës ? Kështu do të kemi rastin të na botohet ndonjë artikull në gazetat e vendeve të interesuara e ndër to edhe në Korenë e Veriut.

Së dyti: Ne shqiptarët do të kemi rastin ta presim presidentin amerikanë jo si Xhorxh W. Bush por thjesht si mik. Ta presim si përfaqësuesin e demokracisë më të fuqeshme të botës që fati e solli të jetë dhe aleati ynë në çështjen tonë kombëtare. Le ta presim si të ishte i ati i tij, si të ishte Klinton por edhe për atë çka përfaqëson Ai vetë. Le ti jemi mirënjohës Amerikës për atë çfarë ka bërë, për atë që po bënë dhe mbi të gjitha për atë që do të bëjë për çështjen tonë kombëtare. Se çfarë do thuhet në takimet kokë më kokë mes politikanëe ka pak rëndësi. Ajo që ka rëndësi për ne dhe që ne duhet tua transmetojmë amerikanëve më 10 qershor është mirënjohja jonë ndaj! ! kombit amerikanë. Për ta kuptuar atë që amerikanët bënë për ne shqiptarët (pa mohuar sakrificat e vetë shqiptarëve) duhet të kujtoj këtu që ndërhyrja amerikane në Kosovë përbënë një akt të paprecedent ku në emër të respektit të lirisë dhe dinjitetit të njeriut, një institucion ndërkombëtar siç ishte NATO me insistimin e e amrikanëve i hapi luftë një shteti të pashpirt siç ishte Serbia. Dhe nuk ka asnjë interes (nuk përjashtohet mundësia që Amerika të ketë llogaritur interesa në dobi të vetë...) që mund ti ofrohet qeverisë amerikane përveç reagimit në emër të sakrificave të shqiptarëve.

Të mirëpresësh Bushin mos ngjan me servilizëm ?

Kam dëgjuar së fundi (sidomos në diskutimet në forume apo lista) që të mos e theksojmë dhe aq ndihmën e amerikanëve sepse ... veç të tjerash do të duket si servilizëm. Askush nuk kërkon që ne të bëhemi servilë të amerikanëve. As amerikanët vetë nuk do ta donin një “respekt” të tillë. Por shprehja e një ndjenje siç është ajo e respektit dhe dashurisë së shqiptarëve për Amerikën dhe amerikanët, që shqiptarët e kanë treguar dhe e tregojnë për ditë sidomos në një rast si ai i vizitës së Bushit mendoj se është domosdoshmëri. Unë për vehte nuk e mohoj që kam të njëjtin respekt dhe simpati si edhe francezi Alexis de Tocqueville që para rreth dy shekujsh shprehte admirimin e tij për demokracinë amerikane. Pas dy shekujsh pra, demokracia amerikane ësht&eum! ! l; si verërat franceze... edhe më e dashur. Paverësisht se që nga ajo kohë shumë emra janë shkruar në listën e “pronarëve” të Shtëpisë së Bardhë.

Ajet Nuro
Student në ekonomi dhe politikë
Montreal, Kanada

Friday, May 18, 2007

Ready or not, here comes Ðukanovič


BIRN, May 18, 2007

PODGORICA -- Milo Djukanovic, the head of the ruling Montenegrin Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, will be the sole candidate for the party's top position, a party statement said Friday.

Djukanovic, a former president and prime minister, resigned as premier last year after leading the country to independence from the state union with its former federal partner, Serbia.
The DPS party congress expected to reaffirm Djukanovic's leadership over the party is scheduled for Saturday, the statement said.

Djukanovic, a former communist, led Montenegro for 17 years. He was replaced as prime minister by his party comrade Zeljko Sturanovic. The Montenegrin opposition has repeatedly alleged that Sturanovic was merely a figurehead, while Djukanovic maintained his grip on power from behind the scene.

Last year, ahead of the September parliamentary vote, many Montenegrin opposition politicians also alleged that Djukanovic was involved in corruption and had ties with organised crime - charges he has firmly denied.

Earlier, Djukanovic had been investigated by Italian prosecutors for his alleged involvement in a multi-million euro cigarette smuggling scheme.

He has rejected these allegations and official charges have never been pressed.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Montenegro gets invitation for membership in Council of Europe


May 09, 2007

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe invited Montenegro to become the 47th member state of the oldest European institution, it was announced in Podgorica.

The ceremonious reception on the occasion is slated for Friday, 11th of May.

Montenegro has agreed to a number commitments required by the Council of Europe, including establishment of a civic society, providing constitutional mechanisms aimed at securing the independence of the judiciary and measures to protect human rights.
The issues surrounding minority rights have apparently been swept under the rug by both Montenegrin and Albanian elites, notwithstanding the abusive treatment of Albanian political prisoners victimized by erroneous and bogus judicial proceedings.

As this Blog has attested from the very beginning, Montenegro will have a clear path to European and international institutions membership without objections or reservation, regardless of their policies towards its minorities. Their ill-treatment of minorities will continue to prevail because Albanians are reluctant to (1) recognize what is happening to them, (2) demand adherence to international human rights laws designed to protect their status, (3) learn these same laws and apply them to their remorseful situation, and (3) denounce the cleavages that exist in their own communities between one another, where we have witnessed Albanians being the biggest obstacle to Albanians in reaching any form of social, political, and/or civic protection in the minority sphere.

The establishment of a civic society refers to treating all members of such a society as equals; this is not so in Malësia or Ulqin, evidenced by employment rates and academic progress. The judiciary has been called out by international monitoring institutions as biased and corrupt, and we are now witnessing Albanians on trial in front of officials that are suspect in their true intensions, primarily to appease the party in power. Wherefore, measures to protect human rights are a mute point in Montenegro. But how does the COE know this without any objections from within this same society? What human/minority rights violations are being carried out without a cry for help (and we are not referring the Diaspora here, but the people that live and breath in Montenegro)? Montenegro will apply and be accepted into the European Union without any undue delays, in the same fashion as they are doing today with the several institutions they have become members of thus far. So long as there is no public chorus of disapproval from its minority population, especially Albanians, Montenegro is a favorite son of the United States and other western European nations that have called it a model for multi-ethnic democratic transforming in the Balkans.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Desperate for Money, Montenegro Hastily Agrees to U.S. Immunity Deal


PODGORICA, Montenegro -- In efforts to appease the United States government and increase bilateral relations between the two countries, Vijetsi reported yesterday that Montenegro has accepted the U.S. “Article 98” Immunity Agreement.

By signing this Agreement, Montenegro pledges to the United States not to extradite U.S. citizens stationed in Montenegro for possible prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC) – an effort to shield U.S. citizens from prosecution by the newly-created ICC. Dubbed “impunity agreements” by leading legal experts, these bilateral agreements, if signed, would provide that neither party to the accord would bring the other’s current or former government officials, military or other personnel (regardless of whether or not they are nationals of the state concerned) before the jurisdiction of the Court. This wide class of persons would include anyone found on the territory of the state concluding the agreement with the U.S. who works or has worked for the U.S. government.

Government legal experts have stated that this could easily include non-Americans and could include citizens of the state in which they are found, effectively preventing that state from taking responsibility for its own citizens.

Many legal, government and NGO representatives argue that the U.S. is misusing Article 98 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the provision of the ICC’s governing treaty that the U.S. is using to justify seeking such accords. Legal experts furthermore contend that if countries that have ratified the Rome Statute enter into such agreements, they would breach their obligations under international law.

Although this agreement has been accepted by over 100 countries, the European Union has staunchly opposed this contract claiming that the setback for countries not accepting this Articticle is that the US cuts off any military aid to the countries. U.S. officials have publicly threatened economic sanctions, such as the termination of military assistance, if countries do not sign the agreement. In several instances, there have been media reports of the U.S. providing large financial packages to countries at the time of their signature of bilateral immunity agreements, including a very attractive package to Montenegro.

By signing this agreement, Montenegro is exposed to the following ramifications:

1) Montenegro would breach their obligations under the Rome Statute, the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and possibly their own extradition laws.

2) Montenegro will breach Articles 27, 86, 87, 89 and 90 of the Rome Statute, which require states to cooperate with and provide assistance to the Court.

3) Montenegro will also violate Article 18 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, which obliges them to refrain from acts that would defeat the object and purpose of the Statute.

4) Finally, Montenegro will likely violate their own extradition laws in signing such agreements, as states generally have much wider power to approve extraditions and surrenders of persons than the US-proposed bilateral immunity agreements would allow.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Bush to make historic visit to Albania -- First by a U.S. President


By Jonilda Koci for Southeast European Times in Tirana – 02/05/07

The White House confirmed last week that US President George W. Bush will visit Albania on June 10th. He also plans to visit the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy and Bulgaria, after attending the Group of Eight (G8) summit in Germany from June 6th to the 8th.

Bush plans to meet with Albanian President Alfred Moisiu and Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
According to Moisiu, the visit carries great symbolism. A superpower, he said, is building reciprocal respect and collaboration with a small country such as Albania.

"This shows proof of the great values of American democracy, which remains an inspiration," the president said April 26th during a meeting in Tirana with the former Supreme Commander of the NATO Allied Forces in Europe, General Wesley Clark.

Berisha said he considers Bush's visit as a high point in the excellent relationship between Albania and the United States. "Since Albania's independence, in the most critical moments of national liberty for Albanians, the United States has played the role of helping to save rights and freedom," he said.

He also referred to the situation in neighbouring Kosovo. "The dreams of Kosovo's Albanians for their free, democratic and independent state find understanding in the administration of President George W. Bush."

The United States has also supported Albania's NATO ambitions. Last month, Bush signed into law a bill reaffirming his country's support for the NATO accession of five countries -- Albania, Croatia, Georgia, Macedonia and Ukraine. The NATO Freedom Consolidation Act of 2007 also opens the door for the extension of new US military assistance to the countries next year.
US officials and diplomats have encouraged Albania's acceptance into NATO in 2008.

Albania, meanwhile, has contributed troops to the US-led missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since February, the country has had 120 non-combat troops, stationed at the Mosul Airport. In December 2006, Albanian Defence Minister Fatmir Mediu said Albanian troops would stay in Iraq as long as US forces remain there.

Bush will be the first US president to visit Albania. In 1999, President Bill Clinton scheduled a visit to Tirana, but it was cancelled. Two US secretaries of state have visited Albania -- James Baker in 1991 and Colin Powell in 2003.

US diplomat says majority of Security Council members back Kosovo independence


03/05/2007

LONDON, United Kingdom -- A clear majority of UN Security Council members back a plan that grants independence to Kosovo, US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in an interview published on Wednesday (May 2nd). He went on to add that he plans to meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov in an attempt to find common ground on the adoption of a UN resolution within the next 30 days. Officials from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United States -- representing the so-called Kosovo Contact Group -- are discussing the matter at the British Foreign Office late Thursday.


(AFP - 03/05/07; RFE, Telegrafi, Balkanweb, RTK, Tanjug, RTS - 02/05/07)

Cheney says US ready to back Montenegro's Euro-Atlantic bid


May 03, 2007

WASHINGTON, United States -- Vice President Dick Cheney assured visiting Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic on Wednesday (May 2nd) that the United States is ready to back Montenegro's aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration. They met a day after Vujanovic and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sealed the Status of Forces Agreement for enhanced bilateral military co-operation. Vujanovic is also lobbying for increased US investment in Montenegro.

Source: SE Times

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Macedonia Might Recognize Kosova Independence Unilaterally


Skopje – Macedonian foreign minister Antonio Milososki's statement that the country may follow the US and some EU countries and recognise Kosovo's independence, in the event of the issue not being resolved in the UN Security Council, has surprised few in Skopje.

Milososki was quoted as saying that if efforts to resolve the issue in the UN Security Council fail and influential members of NATO and EU start recognising Kosovo, Macedonia should seriously consider such a move.

Security expert Biljana Vankovska told Balkan Insight that the minister`s statement came as no surprise as "Plan B was always that if the Ahtisaari plan is not accepted in the UN, the US will recognise Kosovo and secure support for such a move from countries in the region".

"Thus, we can expect that Macedonia will abide by the US position as it is waiting for an invitation to become a NATO member and both the current and the former government have pledged they will follow the US lead on Kosovo," said Vankovska.

The US is seen as a major ally, especially after the US recognition of Macedonia`s constitutional name, which Greece has long disputed, and the US support for Macedonia`s bid to join NATO.

The UN`s special representative Martti Ahtisaari has proposed supervised independence for Kosovo. While Pristina has endorsed the plan, Belgrade has flatly rejected it offering broad autonomy for the province.

Although Skopje`s official position has been that the country will support a solution acceptable to both sides that would not endanger Macedonia`s territorial integrity and sovereignty, Macedonian officials have not dismissed the possibility that Skopje would be among the first countries to recognise Kosovo, in case no solution is found in the UN.
Former state secretary for foreign affairs Emil Kirjas says that the matter should be resolved as soon as possible as "any delay to resolve the Kosovo issue will have negative impact not only on Kosovo but for the entire region".

Kirjas also said that "if our main allies in NATO and EU decide to unilaterally recognise Kosovo, then Macedonia should seriously consider that option".
While Kirjas does not expect such a move will have severe consequences for Macedonian-Serbian relations, Vankovska says support for Kosovo will open the door for additional problems with Serbia mainly in regard to Macedonia`s identity.

Montenegrin Activist Denied Answers in Police Spy Row


Podgorica - Montenegrin human rights activist Aleksandar Sasa Zekovic was today denied information by the Supreme Court on whether or not it gave police a green light to put him under surveillance.

In a letter seen by Balkan Insight, court president Ratko Vukotic told Zekovic that national security concerns meant he could not know if the authorities were watching him or not.

Suspecting police were following him and tapping his phone, Zekovic first wrote to the Supreme Court on April 20 to ask if it had approved such measures. According to Montenegrin law, the Supreme Court is responsible for authorising police surveillance and phone-tapping.

Zekovic is well known for his investigations of alleged human rights violations, and earlier this February published accusations of police brutality during an arrest operation carried out last year. The September 2006 swoop, known as "Eagle flight", saw a number of Albanian men taken into custody on suspicion of terorism.

He said that, since then, he had suspected police were following him, as well as claiming to have received anonymous threats that details of his private life would be exposed if he did not stop talking about the case.

Zekovic told Balkan Insight that police sources pointed the finger at officers close to police chief Veselin Veljovic, although adding they were acting without the latter’s support.

"I have been told these officers hate me and that I'm making problems for them in regard to the "Eagle flight" operation," he said. "Now, after this response from the Supreme Court, my suspicions that the police are involved are even stronger."

Police chief Veljovic has dismissed the allegations.

Zekovic has responded to his court rejection by writing to state prosecutor Vesna Medenica, asking her to confirm whether or not she ordered him to be put under surveillance.
Source: BIRN