KOSOVO (3)

After Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia was declared legal by the International Court of Justice, the Serbs went into their thinking box. The result was a unanimous resolution by the U.N.'s General Assembly, calling for dialogue between the two sides.

This was not in fact what Serbia had originally wanted. In an earlier draft, Serbia had rejected Kosovo's secession and asked for new negotiations on the legal status of its former entity. However, realpolitik then prevailed. The E.U., which Serbia wishes to join and most of whose members have already recognised Kosovo, let it be known that the earlier draft, if passed, would end Serbia's path to accession. Serbia blinked.

In effect, this marks the end of Serbia's fight to keep Kosovo, and a beginning of the end-game for resolving the Kosovo problem. Serbia won't admit that, of course, but that is what it is.

Walter Blotscher