Sunday, February 24, 2008

Brewing Balkan War

"As regards the deal between Russia and Serbia, we can blame the EU for some of this," said Borut Grgic, an energy expert and director of the Institute for Strategic Studies in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

"There is a big political dimension to this," he added. "In all its negotiations with Serbia when dealing with the future status of Kosovo, the EU never brought up with Serbia the issue of energy security and how Serbia could play an important role for Europe.".... http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/22/europe/energy.php

That aim appeared to be gathering force Saturday as Serbs in northern Kosovo erected a metal container and hung Serbian flags on electrical posts on a main road between Zubin Potok, a Serbian town, and Mitrovica, a city divided between ethnic Albanians and Serbs. Meanwhile, there were increasing reports in Pristina that officers were deserting the multiethnic police force in Kosovo and pledging their allegiance to the government in Belgrade. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/24/america/kosovo.php

BELGRADE, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Serbia was back on the offensive over Kosovo's independence on Sunday, blaming the United States for crisis in the Balkans while its ally Russia accused the Americans of destroying "world order".

Three days after young rioters in Belgrade embarrassed the country by attacking Western embassies and looting shops, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said it is Washington that is threatening peace and stability.

In a strongly worded statement from Moscow, Russia also accused Washington of trampling on international law.... http://www.reuters.com/article/europeCrisis/idUSL24605875

Moscow slams Burns statement

MOSCOW -- A war of words over Kosovo is raging between Russia and the United States... http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=02&dd=24&nav_id=47944

Indeed, dozens of armoured vehicles and tanks have been deployed at key points in the border region, after Belgrade officials announced that they would march into Kosovo in their thousands — albeit for peaceful rallies. "KFOR troops are trained and well-equipped to answer any challenges coming from inside or outside of Kosovo," a radio advertisement, paid for by KFOR, warns Serbian listeners... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/24/wserbia124.xml

The US needs Croatia over an agreement between Iran and Serbia... http://www.nacional.hr/printable/articles/view/29168/

http://www.videocodezone.com/playyoutubevideo.php?v=s3IzAPBR5J4 Serbian Tanks on the Kosovo Border

Kosovo border police have reported Serb tanks are taking positions near the Kosovo-Serb border. http://www.google.com/search?q=serbian+tanks+move+to+kosovo&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a