KOSOVO: A CASE IN TIME
Columnist MARIA SULTAN discusses the tragedy of KOSOVO
The indictment of Milosevic by the international war tribunal as war criminal had put the entire NATO command in a tight spot as it raises the questions, can you negotiate a peace deal with a war criminal? And if you do how do you maintain the high moral ground. In retrospect, the Russian peace initiative was being dubbed as the only viable peace initiative taken.
The document was put together by the group of seven leading industrial states plus Russia at the foreign ministers meeting at Cologne, Germany. As important as it may seem, NATO seems to be divided on its predisposed goals in the entire Kosovo crisis having gone to war over the Rambouillet Accords due to the Serbian refusal after almost 75 days of air strikes they have cut a deal with the indicted Milosevic. The European Union representative, Finland's, Martti Ahtissari, met with Milosevic six days after the indications and proposed a better more balanced peace deal to Milosevic.
In the peculiar circumstance of negotiating a peace deal the Russian involvement filled in the essential gaps of keeping a certain degree of NATO morality while on the other hand they have managed to evade human losses by maintaining an air campaign exclusively. According to an information Milosevic had finally decided to agree to the Russia led peace initiative because there had been a clear warning by Washington that NATO ground forces are very likely to enter Kosovo with an all time backing by their American partners. Where this view holds legitimacy of the argument, the over-emphasis on the Russian initiative suggests that NATO by bringing in Russia had basically made a major headway on two grounds.
On the one hand it stopped the ever gaining momentum of the naturalities and outer western flavour in the Russian domestic political scene. That is to restart the drive of the Red-Brown Coalition whereby giving a new found vigour to the democratic pro-western elements in the Russian Duma. This was achieved by giving Russia a key position in the latest peace initiative. Thereby addressing the Russian desire of being termed as an important international state actor, with a significant part to play in global politics. By propagating the concept that peace cannot be sustained in the Balkans without an active support by Russia. Whereas on the other hand NATO seemed to evade the direct controversy of dealing with a war criminal directly. In addition to the fulfilment of the policy objectives of bringing an end to the Kosovo war. NATO has simultaneously paved the way for UN enabling resolution to enforce peace in the region by way of international peace keeping forces. The patronage to Russia is to help NATO in getting the UN Security Council resolution passed, however, the bombing of the Chinese Embassy and the continued refusal of NATO members to adopt a proactive unilateral force action in Kosovo has undermined the very authority of the UN as independent player in the international political arena. Though China has agreed in principle not to block the UN security resolution unnecessarily albeit it also referred that it would not be a rubber-stamp approval.
US-Polls suggest that in China the Kosovo crisis and the unilateral NATO action has given way to an eruption of anti-American and anti-west fury. Which in the long run can have drastic impact on the key relations of the two major players in international politics.
The question, which was to be solved by the air strikes and Kosovo war still remains unanswered that is what is the likely fate of a million and over Albanian refugees going to be. In future as Kosovo has not been given full autonomy and there is going to be a physical presence of Serbian national security corps in the security for the region. The Russian desired to have a beneficial presence in the Security Council is a cause of serious concern for the working dynamics for the international peace keeping forces in Kosovo.
Where the world community seems to be coming to terms with peace deal struck by NATO and Milosevic under the shadow of the air-strikes. The actual victims of war the Albanian refugees and their will to live a peaceful and honourable life is still questionable.
Among the offsets of the massive exodus of Albanian refugees the factor that has gained a new importance is the KLA. The KLA of today is not the meek KLA which was to be disarmed according the Rombovillete agreement. The latest peace deal only supposes to demilitarize the KLA and not disarm it. Where the world may find it easy to adjust to UN brokered peace in Kosovo. The KLA may see the presence of international peace keeping forces in Kosovo as a interim period leading to the eventual independence of Kosovo. As they have still not ruled out the option of an independent Kosovo yet.
It seems that Milosevic's dream of ethnic cleaning, may have led to the actual reversal of fortune a Muslim state in the heart of the Balkans, challenging the very premises of an ethnic confrontation for times to come.
The only way out from this cogemere will be the rapid economic development, which might open up new venues of interaction for the displaced Kosovars. The sincerity of international community to opt for just and viable peace, keeping in line the new element in Kosovo crises that is the KLA as an important and potential player for any future agreements concerning the region will be of essential nature. As the region will suffice on its own working parameters which are to be exclusively regional as well as international in scope.
