PES Manifesto

1. Peace demands independency from USA by arktika on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 02:38

I can only agree to your last chapter:

 "Socialism means peace, not war.  However it seems hard for EU politicians to admit it. Here are some facts: 90% of Bulgarian people were against Serbia bombing in 1994 but officially Bulgaria helped bombing and killing people.  I believe 80 to 90% of Europeans are against Iraq occupation or military presence in Afghanistan – what are we doing there?"

In Europe the Kosovo question highlights the core problem - uncritical following of US foreign (cowboy) policy - of EU.  The results one can see now: 

Year 2008 has showed the chaotic stage of international Kosovo administration. Local administration has been in same situation already earlier due parallel institutions, corruption, ethnic tensions, tribe dynasties etc.

When Albanian majority declared Independence Feb. 2008 the idea was to transfer international administration from UN to EU. However the only internationally accepted resolution 1244 - which says that Kosovo is part of Serbia - stayed valid. So that about independence which in mistake was was accepted through some 40 countries.

The unclear situation between UN and EU has now came conflict also between Nato and EU in relation cooperation between Kfor troops and EULEX-mission. Already earlier Kosovo status as special case has served as example to many other ethnic conflict around the world.

Isn´t it now finally time to confess the made mistakes and start new chapter through local stakeholders in stead of quackery by outsiders. I think that the best international crisis management would be to create opportunities for local agreement by means of stick and carrots. This could make it possible to transfer focus from legal nitpicking to long lasting development of economy and democratic process.

I am sure that countries in Balkans have more realstic, pragmatic and true picture about Balkan problems than americans.  This voice should be heard also in Brussels.

2. 200 years old toy by Okamoto on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 20:56

The Balkans is 200 years old plaything in hands of Great Powers. Great Powers create South Slovenian kingdom (Yugoslavia) and they ruined it. EU helps Americans in that game. Sorry, but Kosovo/ Kosova is big EU mistake.
 

3. USA's Balkan fellows... by pasok_greece on Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 03:26

Actually I believe that spesific countries in the Balkan peninsula consist plaything in hands of Great Powers and especially USA.After the corruption of the comunist regime in USSR at 1989 many former supporters of comunism in their effort to adapt to the new conditions in order to survive,became the greatest fans of the imperialism USA tries to enforce worldwide. Nowadays USA has many fellows in Europe,in the Balkan peninsula those are FYROM and Albania.They promote USA's intervension on Balkan issues and harm Europe 's future while violating basic rights of neighbouring countries.Those countries have taken the last years many gifts from their governor (USA) for their blind obedience such as the begining of negotiations about their entrance to NATO and the E.U. Recently both countries set in motion their plan to extend their frontiers to northern Greece, they continiously give in publicity fake facts in order to justify themselves.We sosialists of Balkan, we socialists of Europe should cooperate with sosialistic parties in those countries in order to alter the situation. We owe it to worldwide peace and and political stability.

4. New Deal could be solution for Kosovo by arktika on Monday, July 21, 2008 at 13:18

Today´s Kosovo is an example of frozen conflict with thread to come next “failed state” in World. Negotiations during Ahtisaari time were waste of time; Troika lead talks showed some innovative solutions to status question, but Albanian side did not need to talk because USA had promised them independence. This created the core problem.

The way out could be to make a New Deal: US revises its foreign policy after elections and withdraws recognizing of Kosovo, real talks are starting and ending to bitter compromise (e.g. partitioning Kosovo, applying Hong Kong model …), Serbia and Kosovo are concentrating more to economical/social questions instead of quarreling borders. Pragmatic and maybe realistic result but needs hard work from all stakeholders.