Vol. 8 Issue 7 - Public International Law & Policy Group

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Kosovo Serbia okay on Kosovo in financial bodies Agence France Presse, 2/12/09 Serbian President Boris Tadic said Thursday his government did not object to Kosovo's membership in global financial institutions, despite having opposed its independence. "Serbia does not wish in any way to stop ... the process of accession of Kosovo to certain international financial institutions," Tadic said at the end of a meeting with EU enlargement chief Olli Rehn. "Serbia is ready to participate constructively in the establishment of stability in the entire society of Kosovo," Tadic told a media conference in Belgrade. Tadic was apparently referring to plans by the leaders of ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo to apply for membership in the <strong>International</strong> Monetary Fund and World Bank. The pro-Western president added that Belgrade would not object to the development of trade links between Kosovo and its Balkan neighbors. Speaking at the same conference, Rehn said: "It is important that Kosovo be able to participate with very pratical engagement in regional trade an regional political cooperation. "Our goal is to facilitate social end economic development of Kosovo so to avoid Kosovo becoming any kind of a black hole in terms of crime end trafficking," he said. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008. It has been recognized by 54 nations including the United States and most EU members. Serbia still considers the tiny landlocked Balkan region as its province. Serbia insists that Kosovo is not a country Jovana Gec, Associated Press, 2/170/9 Serbia dismissed Kosovo's statehood as "virtual" on Tuesday, but ruled out using force to try to regain the territory that declared independence a year ago. "Kosovo is not a country," President Boris Tadic said in a statement, vowing that Serbia will never recognize the independence of its former province. But Tadic also dispelled fears of a new conflict over Kosovo, saying that Serbia will defend its "legitimate rights by legal and diplomatic means, not force." Also Tuesday, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic described Kosovo's declaration of independence as an "illegal act" and an "attempt to create a virtual state on Serbia's territory."
Serbs consider Kosovo to be the heartland of their nation. In 1998, Serbia launched a brutal crackdown to curb a separatist rebellion by Kosovo's Albanian majority. The war ended in 1999 when NATO bombed Serbia to force it to relinquish control over Kosovo to the United Nations. The region declared independence last year winning swift recognition from the United States and most EU nations. In Serbia, the declaration triggered a wave of anti-Western protests when nationalist extremists set on fire parts of U.S. and other Western embassies. On Tuesday, several hundred extremists took to the streets in the northern city of Novi Sad, chanting nationalist slogans and carrying banners reading "Kosovo is Serbia." Kosovo marks 1 year of independence from Serbia Nebi Qena, Associated Press, 2/170/9 Jubilant ethnic Albanians poured into the streets Tuesday to celebrate the first anniversary of Kosovo's independence from Serbia, as nationalist Serbian lawmakers joined their ethnic kin in northern Kosovo to try to undermine the tiny country. The twin moves highlighted the division that has plagued Kosovo and threatens to split it along ethnic lines. It also underscored the challenge Kosovo's authorities face in asserting control over areas where Serbs live. In the capital of Pristina, thousands of people sang, blared traditional music, and waved flags and banners that read "Happy Birthday Kosovo!" The mostly ethnic Albanian territory declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008. One newspaper plastered its front page with a photo of 1-year-old Pavaresi Sopa under the headline: "She grows." The child, whose first name means independence, was the first ethnic Albanian born after last year's declaration. In Serbia, President Boris Tadic was quick to dismiss Kosovo's statehood. "Kosovo is not a country," Tadic said in a statement, pledging not to recognize the independence of its former province. But he dispelled fears of a new conflict over Kosovo, saying Serbia will defend its "legitimate rights by legal and diplomatic means, not force." Serbia considers Kosovo part of its territory and has vowed to block its quest for international recognition. So far, 54 countries have recognized Kosovo including the United States and many European Union nations but that's just half the number that Prime Minister Hashim Thaci had predicted a year ago. Still, there was no dampening the mood Tuesday in Pristina.
Page 1 and 2: PEACE NEGOTIATIONS WATCH Thursday,
Page 3 and 4: Kosovo marks 1 year of independence
Page 5 and 6: Whitman said he could not discuss p
Page 7 and 8: "Now that we have realized this is
Page 9 and 10: "However, the aforesaid statements
Page 11 and 12: The court has linked the former Bos
Page 13 and 14: The military regime has promised to
Page 15 and 16: Former US President George W. Bush'
Page 17 and 18: "How can we go on without the main
Page 19 and 20: "I don't want to be on the side of
Page 21 and 22: EU enlargement commissioner Olli Re
Page 23 and 24: "Have I said that Bosco Ntaganda ha
Page 25 and 26: The first victim of the operation h
Page 27 and 28: The five-day war and Russia's subse
Page 29 and 30: Tengku Syamsuddin, a spokesman for
Page 31 and 32: India and Pakistan have fought thre
Page 33: New Delhi has noted with strong app
Page 37 and 38: "The key to our success is in unity
Page 39 and 40: Macedonia EU mulls economic support
Page 41 and 42: "As for the content of the document
Page 43 and 44: The UN Security Council has called
Page 45 and 46: Moro Islamic Liberation Front which
Page 47 and 48: Somalia Overcrowding at Kenya refug
Page 49 and 50: "We are happy with that," he said,
Page 51 and 52: "With a growing number of children
Page 53 and 54: Dr. Thurairaja Varatharaja, the top
Page 55 and 56: Without a borehole, water was colle
Page 57 and 58: The New York Times reported on Wedn
Page 59 and 60: The talks mediated by Doha are the
Page 61 and 62: Aid workers and human rights activi
Page 63 and 64: "They have no way out of these swam

Vol. 8 Issue 7 - Public International Law & Policy Group

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