• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • flickr
  • blogger
  • youtube

blog-logo

  • Home
  • UAE Armenians
  • Hrach Kalsahakian
  • Հայերեն բաժին
  • Archives
    • News
    • Articles
    • Directory

Kosovo: The case for clarity

February 21, 2008
A+ A-
Email Print

Why does the EU support independence for Kosovo?

 

WHY is the West giving Kosovo independence when it refuses to recognise Transdniestria, South Ossetia and Abkhazia? These three places are nominally independent?at least in their own eyes?and have been so for many years.

 

At first sight it seems a clear case of Western double standards. Kosovar Albanians don?t want to be under Serbian rule any more than the Abkhaz feel Georgian or the Transdniestrians like Moldova. They have established their status by force of arms, and entrenched it over ten years of quasi-independence. Is not the real story just an American power-play in Europe, punishing Serbia and rewarding the only pro-American Muslims in the world?

 

Nobody would deny that such political calculations have influenced decision-making. But the real difference is another one. Kosovo wants to join the European Union. That much is at least clear, however badly run Kosovo may be at the moment, and however much gangsterism and ethno-nationalism have flourished there under the haphazard stewardship of the so-called international community. Kosovo does not want to join, say, Turkey in a new ?Ottoman Caliphate?. Nor is it even interested in forming a ?Greater Albania?.

 

That makes a big difference. Transdniestria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia do not subscribe to the Euroatlantic vision of multilateral security and law-governed political freedom. The main priority of the ruling elites there is self-enrichment, followed by at least a rhetorical commitment to closer integration with Russia (a goal that the Kremlin endorses in theory but seems remarkably cautious about in practice).

 

The West is reluctant to say so bluntly, but that makes a difference. The EU is sending thousands of lawyers, prosecutors and police officers to Kosovo, in what might be termed the continent?s most ambitious colonial adventure for decades. That ?soft imperialism? creates at least a chance of success for Kosovo?s independence.

 

All this may yet be derailed. Bosnia is falling apart again; Macedonia still looks fragile; and Russia could not ask for more fertile soil for mischief, with Europe divided and indecisive. But it is worth a try.

 

Contrast that with Transdniestria or Abkhazia. Imagine that Russia and a bunch of other countries?Belarus, Uzbekistan, Armenia and Venezuela, say?decided to go ahead and recognise these breakaway statelets. It is almost laughable to imagine what such outside supporters could offer to promote the rule of law and good government. Would Hugo Ch?vez of Venezuela offer policemen? Would Russia provide prosecutors, or Uzbekistan start teaching Abkhaz civil servants about e-government?

 

This is the weakness at the heart of all the Kremlin?s foreign-policy efforts in the countries of the former Soviet Union. It offers a great deal for elites. Some enjoy lavish hospitality and lucrative directorships. Others get intelligence co-operation and sales of advanced weaponry.

 

But Russia has much less to offer from the public?s point of view. True, it offers passports, and a Russian passport is not worthless.

 

But the survival of the Soviet-era propiska system means that this does not confer the prized right to live and work in Moscow. Even the Kremlin?s most loyal allies can?t offer that to their citizens as a quid pro quo. (Admittedly, Schengen and American visas can still be shamefully hard to come by, even for citizens of ex-captive nations that are loyally Euroatlantic in outlook).

 

What the EU will not say, but thinks privately, is this: We are supporting Kosovo?s independence because of the chance that it will become more like us, and hence a better neighbour. We oppose independence for Transdniestria et al because it would make them more like Russia, and therefore worse for Europe.

 

Source: “The Economist”, London, 21 February 2008
http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10717378

author-avatar

Posted by Azad-Hye

Like to share?

Social Media

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • flickr
  • blogger
  • youtube
Newer PostArmenia – Diaspora Relations in the presidential candidates’ programs
Older PostMother England as much to blame

POPULAR

item-thumbnail

Rebecca Malikian’s novel “The Caravan of Death”

July 10, 2015
item-thumbnail

Erebouni pen launched in Dubai and other cities

April 12, 2015
item-thumbnail

Vardavar (water pouring) international festival in Armenia gains popularity

July 17, 2015
item-thumbnail

Essam Nagy’s documentary “In The Beginning Was Armenia” (Interview)

January 11, 2020
item-thumbnail

Anna Dolabjian: I feel life coaching as a dream coming true

January 18, 2018

LATEST

item-thumbnail

Liana Ghaltaghchyan is the new Managing Director at the Children of Armenia Fund

January 10, 2023
item-thumbnail

Indian Journalist Venkatesh Remakrishnan mentions the Armenians of Chennai

October 30, 2022
item-thumbnail

Renovation of the Ghukasavan Cultural Center’s main hall

December 1, 2021
item-thumbnail

Nobel Prize winner Ardem Patapoutian

October 7, 2021
item-thumbnail

Armenian Church of the Virgin Mary in Basra, Iraq

August 30, 2021

COMMENTS

Azad-Hye on In memory of AUB Medical Alumni who died during the First World War
Azad-Hye on Kessab Ousoumnasirats celebrates centennial
Lawrence Danny CPA on Kessab Ousoumnasirats celebrates centennial
Stephensmith on Pizza making vending machine invented by Puzant Khachadourian
ALEXANIAN on Astghik Voskerchyan: Every element in my environment has a role in my creations

Categories

  • Applications
  • Art
  • Books
  • Business
  • Celebrations
  • Chinese Armenians
  • Courses and Camps
  • Cyprus Armenians
  • Diaspora Armenians
  • Documentaries
  • Education
  • Egyptian Armenians
  • Energy
  • Ethiopian Armenians
  • European Armenians
  • Festivals
  • Genocide
  • History
  • Hrach Kalsahakian
  • Indian Armenians
  • Interviews
  • Iraqi Armenians
  • Language
  • Lebanese Armenians
  • Music
  • Poetry
  • Politics
  • Religion
  • Rural Armenia
  • Science
  • Syrian Armenians
  • Tourism
  • Turkish Armenians
  • UAE Armenians
  • Websites
  • Հայերեն բաժին

CUSTOM LINKS

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact

RANDOM POSTS

item-thumbnail

Մեր եկեղեցին մարդոց գրաւելու կարողութիւն ունի՞. Հրաչ Քալսահակեան

item-thumbnail

A book by Wahi Kachichyan: Turkish Instinct or the Praise of Genocide

item-thumbnail

Artyom Syunetsi talks about fashion trends in Armenia

TAG CLOUD

Armenian Art Armenian Catholics Armenian Christmas Armenian Costumes Armenian Genocide Armenian Songs Armenian Velvet Revolution Azad-Hye Celebrations Cyprus Armenians Daniel Varoujan Hejinian Diaspora Diaspora Armenians Education Emma Kant Emma Karapetyan Ethiopian Armenians Garni Geghard Genocide Goris Greece Hidden Armenians History Iraqi Armenians Kessab Kessabtzis Language Lebanese Armenians Meri Martirosyan Music Music Application Nana Aramyan Nikol Pashinyan Norway Ottoman Empire Paris Speech Therapy Syrian Armenians Syunik Turkey Turkish Armenians UAE Armenians Vardavar Western Armenia

Search this website

© 2023 Azad-Hye . Designed by Wpinhands
Scroll