Montenegro and Macedonia recognize Kosovo’s independence
All right, so here’s the short version of what happened and what could happen.
Montenegro recently declared independence. Serbia complained a bit, but eventually it all went down ok. The world didn’t seem to mind one bit. Some time ago, Macedonia declared independence, former Yugoslavia was too busy with civil war to notice and the world didn’t mind too much, except for Greece, who thinks it’s not right for Macedonia to be named Macedonia because a part of Greece is named Macedonia. So now Macedonia is independent, but with different names depending on who you ask. Kosovo declared independence just this year, and suddenly bunch of problems arise – some recognize it, some don’t, the name is a problem as well – is it Kosovo, is it Kosova, tomato, potato, whatever.
Now, both Montenegro and Macedonia decided to recognize Kosovo. Kosovo will probably return the favour by recognizing them back. While they’re at it, they could decide to recognize South Ossetia and Abhazia, provinces who decided to declare independence from Georgia (not the American one, but the one next to Russia) this year. That way Kosovo would support Russia in helping South Ossetia and Abhazia break away, but it would upset the United States and the rest of the world who oppose Russia, but support Kosovo, Montenegro, and Macedonia in their independence efforts. Serbia should support Georgia because we know what it’s like to be deprived of territory, right, but that way we would upset Russia, our best friend when it comes to not recognizing Kosovo. Georgia, US already recognized Kosovo, but Georgia (the country) should definitely not recognize it, because they clearly do mind provinces breaking away from countries. But if they don’t recognize it, they could upset the US and the other countries who recognized it.
Russia first said that it’s not ok for a province to break away, but now says it’s ok. USA first said that it’s ok for a province to break away, but now says that’s a bad thing and a big no-no.
So now I guess we are all waiting for Russia to recognize Kosovo, USA to recognize South Ossetia and Abhazia, and for Greece to allow Macedonia to call itself Macedonia so that all this mess could be cleared up. I hope all that will happen at the same time so I don’t have to explain this all over again.
249 readers already did.
12 Comments, Comment or Ping
cabrilo
And to add fuel to fire: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7662922.stm
Oct 10th, 2008
Owen
I think you’ve over-simplified.
Oct 10th, 2008
popkitchen
I agree with Owen, though I think that you wrote about it in a humorous way.
Macedonia obviously did that so it gets Americans to pressure Greeks on the name issue (even though Greeks seem to continue to be unwilling), but will US do that now, with the election and the economic crisis? I think they will just avoid Macednia’s calls, claiming that they were trying to save the house from burning down, while the telephone was ringing. Also, Macedonians faced pressured from within – Albanian parties. But what happens, if Albanians want to break away and go down Kosovo’s path? And it is likely, they had armed conflict in 2001. How are Macedonians to call upon the “territorial integrity”...
Oct 11th, 2008
Viktor
What we should do now, if we are to make things even more confusing and interesting, is to un-recognize Montenegro and Macedonia. I don’t know if that’s even possible, to un-recognize a state, but that’s what we are trying to persuade other countries that recognized Kosovo to do, right? So we should set an example and un-recognize Macedonia and Montenegro.
And while we’re at it, we could also un-recognize Georgia, US – just because we can.
Oct 11th, 2008
bganon
Hi all, long time no see!
There are a couple of things that upset me about this. Above all the timing appears to be very nasty indeed. I very much doubt whether this smack in the teeth was unrelated to the UN ICJ action. In a sense I think this was US / UK revenge for the UN defeat.
Secondly Mac and Mg did not recognise Kosovo with any conviction of their own (democracy, facing reality etc), it was chiefly through US pressure and government fears of how the ethnic Albanian population (politicians) would react if they would not recognise. Analysts in those countries say that referendums were passed in those countries they probably would not vote for Kosovo independence.
Thirdly this recognition has had a destabilising effect (particularly with the poor timing) on both Montenegro and Serbia.
Last of all I have to say that statements from Belgrade are all hot air. Diplomacy with regard to Mac and Mg have failed. Those alleged ‘warnings’ that Belgrade issued to Mg and Mac in recent weeks had nothing to them and were for public consumption. There was never any real strategy to try to prevent Mg and Mac from recognising (economic measures etc). Also amusing is watching the Serbian opposition who are at the same time accusing the Serbian government of not acting against Mac and Mg, but at the same time saying that the government is persuing too hard a line against the two countries (Nikolic just yesterday ‘accused’ the government of cancelling all flights to Mg).
And so the immature charade continues… Western bungling compounded by local ignorance is a heady brew.
Oct 15th, 2008
ida
“There are a couple of things that upset me about this. Above all the timing appears to be very nasty indeed.”
Yes it was timed to be on the anniversary of the assassination of Serbian King Aleksandar on October 9, 1934 by the Macedonian revolutionary party (which was funded by foreign countries).
Oct 15th, 2008
Viktor
Ida, I seriously doubt that bganon was referring to that. Moreover, I honestly doubt that even Macedonians didn’t think that far ahead when setting up a date to recognize Kosovo. In fact, I think maybe you are the first person to spot that parallel.
Thanks for deciding to unveil that cunning little subliminal attack by the Macedonians exclusively for this blog, and particularly on this post where we try to explain to the westerners what’s really going on!
Oct 16th, 2008
ida
“In fact, I think maybe you are the first person to spot that parallel.”
Nope, it was a Macedonian on a Slavic Unity forum who mentioned the recognition happening on the anniversary of the Serbian King’s assassination.
He was basically ranting how Serbia did more against Macedonia and Montenegro than the other countries because Macedonia and Montenegro were weak, but as an aside within his rant he did admit about the anniversary of the assassination.
Oct 16th, 2008
ida
Here are some extracts of the Macedonian poster’s complaining about Serbia’s actions, yet still considerate of the insulting timing. But I believe the timing was thought out/planned by the U.S. who are the one’s calling the shots and there was a just completed visit by Gates before the recognitions. Always some Serbian anniversary is chosen to do these things like when they sent Milosevic to the Hague on a Serbian holiday (and of course later the Hague shipped him back as a corpse):
“Why didnt serbia expell croatia’s,hungary’s or bulgaria’s FM’s? I dont serbia even expelled germany’s, UK’s etc
I guess its more easy to bully and intimidate the weaker and smaller nations – something serbia has been good at for some time.”————————————————-
“I think the macedonian government chose the worst day to recognize kosovo – the aniversary date fo the killing of the Serbian king last century by VRMO, and as the same day to recognize Kosovo and hit Belgrade back 1 hour after it had secsusfully taken it’s case to the UN.
Maybe this is Gruevski’s way of getting serbia back for all of the harm serbia has done to macedonia since 1990?”
http://slavija.proboards37.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=6555
Oct 16th, 2008
Owen
It’s starting to feel like home again here.
Oct 17th, 2008
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