Kosovo – a possible compromise on customs and the North
Finding a compromise solution on customs and the North - one that would help de-escalate the current confrontation - will require both Serbs and Albanians to abandon their maximalist positions, and the internationals to pursue a genuinely status neutral approach.
Kosovo – NATO's actions illegal, illogical and immoral
Through its illegal, illogical and immoral actions, NATO is reducing the Serbs' room for cooperation and peaceful rejection of Kosovo institutions, and setting the stage for more violence and perhaps full partition.
Kosovo – KFOR-EULEX violence and a cover-up?
It seems clear that KFOR and EULEX were responsible for the initiation and escalation of violence in Jarinje in north Kosovo on September 27th, and an independent inquiry is urgently required to establish the facts.
Kosovo – myth busting
A number of myths about the north of Kosovo - including that there is a military/police solution to its refusal to accept rule by Pristina and that EULEX is acting legally in seeking to impose Kosovo customs in the north - continue to jeopardize peace and security.
Kosovo – EULEX 'overconcerned with stability'
A speech by Lord Hylton, opening a debate on Kosovo in the House of Lords on September 15th 2011, in which he calls on the British government to support a peace building process centered around the monasteries of Pec and Decani.
Kosovo – EULEX and status neutral customs
With KFOR clearly acting in violation of its UN Security Council mandate in supporting Pristina's ban on Serbian imports, Kosovo Serbs are within their rights to expect EULEX to follow status neutral procedures should it insist on doing customs in the north.
The Berlinisation of north Kosovo
A European solution to the Kosovo issues requires that boundaries be broken down through negotiation and compromise, rather than reinforced through unilateralism and the use of violence.
Kosovo – the politics of partition
Kosovo's prime minister, Hashim Thaci, recently executed a dangerous gamble in Serb-dominated northern Kosovo by seizing the border posts between the region and Serbia. His actions illustrate the changing balance of power between Americans and Europeans in the region, and the important role of Serbia’s primary opposition party in resolving the Kosovo conflict.
Serbia and Kosovo – the EU condition
Though the EU has attempted to exploit the Kosovo crisis to begin openly pressing Belgrade to give up the north in order to enhance its membership prospects, it seems most likely that the Quint's attempt at blackmail will not work.
Kosovo – is the EU turning status neutral?
After seeking since 2008 to support the imposition of Pristina's rule in north Kosovo, the EU may now be shifting to a more status-neutral approach. The devil will be in the details and much will depend on whether the US goes along.
Ante Gotovina and the politics of international justice
In light of the ICTY’s verdict finding two Croatian military leaders, Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac, guilty of war crimes, all the evidence points to Operation Storm being sanctioned in the fullest degree by the international community.
The love triangle – Serbia, Kosovo and the EU
The next elections will determine whether Serbia chooses the 'European perspective' or the so-called 'Kosovo path'; whether it will continue to uphold its territorial integrity or seek to amend its constitution in order to join the EU.
The future of Serbia is in defining its interests – a response
Solutions to the problems facing the region - particularly that of Kosovo's disputed status - require that the international community cease actively supporting one side over the other and instead pursue a more balanced approach.
Forwards or backwards? – assessing the EU's enlargement agenda
A selection of key findings from the 2010 progress reports for Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYRoM), Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244/99), Montenegro and Serbia.
EU accession and peacebuilding
Extracts from a report on a recent seminar, entitled ‘EU accession and peacebuilding’, organized by the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO), which took place in Belgrade on 28-29th September 2010.
Serbia – a decade of missed opportunities?
A decade on from the overthrow of president Slobodan Milošević's regime, Serbia is still struggling to contend with the negative legacies of the nineties.
Energy security and ethnic conflict – challenges in the Western Balkans
Energy security and stability in the Western Balkans faces two major challenges - the perception and implication of Russia's presence in Serbia, plus the enduring crisis of Kosovo's status.
Kosovo – is the United States inciting violence in the North?
Tacit and explicit US support for Pristina's unilateral approach to the north of Kosovo has fueled an already volatile situation, contributing to an increase in tensions and acts of provocation that threaten further violent confrontations similar to that of July 2nd.
The disaster of Sarajevo?
The Sarajevo summit once again re-affirmed the impression that the EU is attempting to solve the region's problems on an ad hoc basis, without a clear commitment and without offering anything that hasn't already been on the agenda since 2000.
Kosovo – no return?
In light of recent protests, the international community and the Kosovo authorities must do more to ensure the sustainable return of Serbs and other non-Albanian minorities to Kosovo.
Kosovo – what to do with the north, ad interim
The international community will need to find a more comprehensive approach to the north of Kosovo, acceptable to the majority Serbs, that can serve in the interim to help normalize daily life there whilst the status issue remains unresolved.
Bosnia is a wicked problem
The international community must recognize the key role of all relevant players, particularly Turkey and Russia, in finding solutions to Bosnia and Herzegovina's worst political crisis since the signing of Dayton.
The Greek-Macedonian dispute – time to return to the drawing board?
Facilitating a compromise between the respective parties to the name issue requires a better understanding of the multi-layered character of the dispute, the historically conditioned perspectives of the parties, and the main actors and their perceived interests.
A new Strategic Concept for the North Atlantic Alliance
The growing opposition to military interventions amongst a majority of member states means that NATO's new Strategic Concept must consider how the Alliance can and will pursue a stronger political and co-ordinating role.
The EU should offer more than just a box of chocolates
Speeding-up the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU will require the creation of new momentum through greater financial investment and the deployment of individuals with significant political and diplomatic clout.
