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The Latin American State: "Failed" or Evolving?

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Case studies / Comment

The Kosovo debate: beyond the headlines

19/02/2008 By Juan Garrigues

Daniel Mihailescu / AFP / Getty Images
Many people are understandably surprised at the extent to which Kosovo’s independence has heightened geopolitical rhetoric to Cold War levels and engrossed the international media’s attention.

While a look at the articles and the op eds in some of the world’s leading newspapers shows just how complex an issue this is, the many arguments that have been voiced for and against accepting Kosovo’s independence can be categorised into two broad groups.

On the one hand, and in the clear majority, are those who see independence for Kosovo as the inevitable outcome of a unique set of circumstances. Almost all of these observers admit that creating a new state is by no means an ideal solution but they are sure that, in the big picture, the dangers of independence are overstated and there is more to gain than to be lost by accepting Kosovo’s independence.

On the other side are those who believe that the United States and the major European powers are making a grave mistake by overlooking the illegality of recognising Kosovo’s independence.

They believe that accepting the independence of Kosovo outside the bounds of the Security Council (to avoid Russia’s veto) violates Serbia’s international sovereignty, constitutes a danger for other multicultural societies in the Balkans and represents a dangerous precedent that others beyond the region may wish to imitate.

There is also concern that Kosovo may become a failed state and a black hole in Europe and continued economic support from the EU will be crucial. Corruption is endemic and local mafias with vast networks of Albanian diaspora throughout Europe are closely linked to Kosovo’s young institutions.

Just as it was not an easy birth for the Kosovar nation, it will not be an easy childhood.

In this Comment article from FRIDE the author explores the arguments put forward by both camps in the wake of the Kosovo’s declaration of independence.


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Keywords

Divided societies Fragile state International relations Serbia UN Western Balkans

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Bio author: Juan Garrigues

Juan Garrigues holds a BA in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and an MA in International Studies from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Prior to joining FRIDE, he worked at the Centro Internacional de Toledo (CITpax) as Project Manager and as an Associate Political Affairs Officer in the Department of Political Affairs at the United Nations Secretariat.