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The Kosovo debate: beyond the headlines
19/02/2008 By Juan Garrigues
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.
Daniel Mihailescu / AFP / Getty Images
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 Kosovo Serbia UN Western BalkansRelated publications
- Can Democratic Elections Solve a Civil War? The case of Serbia and Kosovo
- De jure vs. de facto: a pyrrhic victory in Kosovo?
- Kosovo: From International Province to State?
- Kosovo: the best of the bad solutions
- The EU's challenge in Kosovo
- The Kosovo Quandary: on the International management of statehood
- The Stabilisation and Association Process: are EU inducements failing in the Western Balkans?
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.
