Unrest due to EU mission to Kosovo

Russia said on Wednesday, Feb. 20, that sending an EU mission to Kovoso would be a breach of international law, and called the plan symbolic of the West's double standard in recognizing Kosovo's independence from Serbia.

The European Union has already agreed to send a mission to Kosovo, consisting of some 2,000 police officers, justice and customs officials to aid and train authorities there and help stabilize the region following Kosovo's declaration of independence.

Russia on Wednesday said Kosovo's proclamation of independence was a "gross violation" of international law and said the EU mission had no legal basis since the decision was made without approval from the U.N. Security Council.

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Russia is again upset at the actions of the EU over the issue with Kosovo. Due to actions of the EU Russia may become hostile to some of its members or use its power in the UN in the future for its good rather than the good of the world. It will be interesting to see what happens over this violation of international law, and whether or not the EU will face consequences for their actions.

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Russia is against Kosovo Sanctions

But Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters secession would be a mistake and everything possible should be done to "prevent negative developments". Speaking after talks with EU officials, Mr Lavrov accused foreign powers of pushing Kosovo towards independence.

The breakaway Serbian province is expected to make a
declaration soon, possibly at the weekend. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said Kosovo needed stability. "We hope we will be able to convince Russia that the [current] situation is unsustainable," she said.

A civilian police and justice mission for Kosovo is expected to be given the go-ahead by EU member states by the end of the week. A senior official told the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels that deployment of the 1,800 staff would be staggered over four months.

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Russian representatives has said that despite the increasing tensions over Kosovo's independence that they will not impose sanctions. Though Russia has said it will not impose sanctions, Kosovo's independence is sure to shake them up a bit. Kosovo is planning to annouce thier independence this weekend. Russia feels as though it is the push of the Western world rather than what Kosovo's people want. Whichever may be true, This will increase tensions between the Western world and Russia. This conflict has the momentum to tear Kosovo apart, and wrap major pieces of the world in it. A major power struggle could irrupt depending on how Kosovo's indepence is announced.


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Russia Upset Over EU Actions

Russia warned yesterday that the European Union would set a dangerous precedent in international law and harm the authority of the United Nations by recognising Kosovo's independence and sending a security mission to Serbia's break-away province.

"It is quite obvious that such a development would create a serious negative precedent from the point of view of international law," Vladimir Chizhov, Russia's ambassador to the EU, told a news briefing. "It will be seen as a precedent by many people, perhaps far too many people, across the world."

Mr Chizhov was speaking shortly after the EU admitted defeat in its efforts to persuade Serbia's government to send a delegation to Brussels today to sign an interim political agreement on free trade and visa liberalisation.

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Russia has in the past opposed Kosovo's independence until all parties involved are satisfied. They have threatened in the past to veto any resolutions that do not satisfy both Belgrade and Kosovo Albanians. They feel that the EU recognizing Kosovo as independent will set a dangerous precedent, which could be dangerous in the future.

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Kosovo's Future

His UN envoy earlier said that world bodies would not recognize Kosovo if it declared unilateral independence.

The Serb province's ethnic Albanians are set to declare independence with conditional US and EU backing, despite opposition from Belgrade and Moscow. Talks on Kosovo's future, brokered by the EU, US and Russia, ended last year without agreement.

Kosovo has been run by the UN since 1999, when a US-led Nato bombing campaign drove out Serb forces accused of a brutal crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatism. Ethnic Albanians now form about 90% of the province's population.

"Any resolution on Kosovo must be approved by both sides," Mr Putin argued in an article published in the Bulgarian press to coincide with his visit
to the country.


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Russia along with Britain hates the idea of Kosovo becoming independent. Russia refuses to give up some sort of say on whether they get independence. Russia only wants them to become independent under their conditions as well as all the other former Soviet states. Serbia is willing to keep them from being independent at all costs. Russia will block them out of the UN and refuse to recognize them as a sovereign state unless both Serbia and Russia agree on their independence.

The future seems dark for Kosovo. Russia and Serbia will never agree on Kosovo's independence. I don't think Russia wants another former soviet state to become independent. What will become of Kosovo? It will either be war, or they must have extreme patience.