Albanian PM: We don't want Kosovo

If Albania wants to live in peace with its Slavic neighbours it should not be dancing to America's tune in the Balkans.

I am an Albanian from Albania and I would agree with the Albanian Prime Minister of "two different Albanian realities". The important thing is that both countries aim to join European Union and our common capital is Bruxelles.

Last summer I was driving from UK on holiday to visit my brother in south France and as I was trying to avoid the toll charges it happened to cross through Luxemburg and Belgim and back to France without realising that I have visited three countries in one go...

These guys just don't want to sound Nationalistic...

my advice

lets do the same with Republika Srpska.. so what if its not in the same border as Serbia.. if we have a better chance for "independence" over unification with Serbia... then I'm all for it

in one thing he´s even right:

Kosovo is a serbian province.

his country will not seek to make the Serbian province a part of its territory.

-What else to say when even he admits that Kosovo is Serbian province. Remember this-Serbian province. Does this statement means that even Albanians from Albania do not dare to call it differently.

"I am pretty sure he didn't say this with his heart, but for right now in this situation it is quiet good answer."

In other words...he is not telling the truth.

Jovan,

We can argue here days and nights about whom Kosova belongs. One thing is for sure that Kosova belongs to people living in Kosova and it is not for sale or trade. Does this make sense? If not we will be very worried about your childish attitude here.

Albanian PM is correct in publicly declaring no desire for unification with Kosova.Doesn't that make our slavic conspiracy theorist swallow their "Greater Albania" propaganda nonsense? Germany and Austria are both Germanic people living in two seperate countries.Serbia's continued support of the Radical policy and their refusal to comply with EU membership entry requirements indicates that Serbia plan for "Greater Serbia" is still alive and in effect. Serbia's "inat" must be dealt with accordingly.Before Serbia is to rise up they probably will hit rock bottom first.Tadic is finally admitting failure by stating his country is no longer instigating senseless wars. I add to that the Serbs need to come to their senses by first recogizing Kosova's independance and joining us in our pursuit of EU membership.Serbia's losses and failed policies is never a cause for celebrations, they do need to break their old habits.

"If Albania wants to live in peace with its Slavic neighbours it should not be dancing to America's tune in the Balkans.
(bosko, 19 January 2008 15:50) "

Why is that most Serbs like to tell others what to do? I mean who put you in, basko specifically, the position where you can tell others what tune should we be dancing? Or it just comes naturally to you and you somehow see yourself entitled to tell other what to do.

To be frank with you, any day and anytime I would choose the Amercian tune rather than the slavic one, Russian included. I cannot think of anytime in our history where our slavic neighbors, Russia included also, has not worked against our interest and well being.

Albania doesn't need to get Kosovo within it's borders to have control of it.

They are building their super highway like a bridge to each other. Who will control the border between Albania and Kosovo?
Albanian better be prepared to a fight with it's own people as Kosovo Albanians will just expect to come and go as they please, or is this all part of the plan anyway?

For the children here, Yes Kosovo is technically a province of Serbia, every news article states that it is 'An Internationaly Supervised State'. But not for long :)

I dont know about the tuneing, I'd say countries in the balkans especialy the slavic ones sympathize Albania more then Serbia since Serbia went to war with almost all of them; Slovenia is slavic, and their driving Kosovo into Independence.

This is a nationalistic point of view, that only a small minority of albanians have, I'm Kosovar and the people there know that joining with albania would only hurt us more. We're better off ourselfs.

Jovan, Albanian PM is not claiming Kosova for unification or suporting Serbia's claim to a province.If you understood what he stated correctly, then that comment of yours is inappropiate. As far as "Great Albania" is concerned Jovan I strongly recommend you get a mirror and use it.

Peggy it seems your are losing sleep over who controls the border between Albania and Kosova. After independance, Kosova will have their own internationaly recognized border patrol.By the way who is controlling the border between Serbska Republica and Serbia? You're better off worrying about your own business, where as Kosova has nothing to do with you.

Well, what do you all expect...you want them to say something that the Ahtisaari plan forbids will likely happen pretty soon?

The merger of Albania and Kosovo has been planned way before Yugoslavia was even created.

I agree with the Albanian PM, unification should not happen. It would only cause further ethnic division, and having two Albanian states is not a problem (German, Spanish and French in particular).

With regards to the EU however, I think that the Albanian states Albania and especially Kosovo (when it becomes independent), as well as the Slavic states of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Montengero and Bosnia should not push for membership before they've sorted out a sizable portion of their economic problems first and foremost.

I can tell you as a Pole (I am sure any other CEE state now in the EU) that the EU, whilst developing infrastructure in the form of roads, telecommunications, banking, services, industry and agriculture, it also causes a great deal of migration Westward, thus causing skills shortages and huge amounts of foreign currency saturating the local markets, causing huge price increases in terms of property and even daily expenses. The decentralization process that comes with it also causes high unemployment.

Had I been the enlargement minister, this would have been my strategy of enlargement:

2005 - Czech Republic, Estonia and Slovenia

2007 - Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia

2009 - Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia

2011 - Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro

2013 - Kosovo (by then it should have sorted its problems out) and well as perhaps some CIS states, namely Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

I would say no to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey, and Russia would be too astronomical a task.

Sorry, I ranted a bit, but my point being, Albania and other Balkan states would do themselves a favor by developing themselves as much as possible, before they become another EU charity case like the current former communist states, that's my humble opinion on the matter.

johny

And what about those Slavic Poles, Slovenians, Bosnians, Czechs, Macedonians, Montenegrins and Croats who support your independence?

Don't turn this into an ethnic issue, Americans are also made up of Slavic citizens (the amount of Poles living in America outnumbers all Albanians worldwide).

For those of you who have never visited Kosovo, or are out a touch with reality, let me explain that the province will not be ready for EU membership by 2013 unless some serious and drastic progress is made.

I spent 2 years in the province working along side EU , UN , PISG, and religious leaders on the central and municipal levels, there are places that are serious about the standards of infrastructure, minority rights, transparent gov't, property rights, tax collection, and other areas necessary to access the EU.

Peggy, once again you feel the need to put your 2 cents in.Since Kosova is, without a doubt,going to declare and her independance recognized, Serbs therefor have no business interfering in the internal affairs of the newborn state. American foreign policy will finally put all the Serbs in their place. Had the international community monitored the borders of Serbia properly and prevented illegal military aggression against the four new born states of former Yugoslavia, hundreds of thousands of innoncent civilians lives would have been saved.

to merge them into one state called Albania is not going to happen, that is all I am saying, it will cause a great deal of animosity in the Balkans yet again.
------------------------------

So the Slav can have their churched sponsored states, but the Albanians cant have a home for their ethnicity, just as it was envisioned when this whole mess began?(but not followed through)

who wants to bet 1 euro, that albania will never be united with Kosovo, except the unification of European Union. Great Albania already exists. So in theory Kosovo is a Serbian province, but trust me, in practice Kosovo is in the same entity with Albania. So according to SC resoulution: Kosovo remains integral part of Serbia until another resolution comes into force. According to albanian people Kosovo is effectively linked, connected, united with Albania. A border that you can pass with a driving licence. However not politically but economically, culturally, spiritually. And this should not seem very tragic for the serbs, bosniacs, greeks or whatever.Is logical: we are all albanians and share the same identity. There is a highway that is going to finish in aprox 1 one year time which will connect Tirana with Pristina. It will be 3.5 hours trip. I was wondering if I can make a comparison between Serbia and Montenegro and Albania and Kosovo but i am not sure if it is the same. So borders, fences are not important within albanian people. Don;t fear Great Albania. This term has value only for albanians, but is meaningless for non-albanians. At least I see it like this..

This is true and it will be like PM says, but on the other hand, if Kosova borders are not garanteed, other borders where there are ethinic albanians are not garanteed as well. Exept albania that borders will always be garanteed.

Azir,

1. Support for SRS and refusal to comply with whatever EU requirements you're talking about doesn't mean at all that Serbia's plan for a Greater Serbia is still alive and well. It is not alive and it never really was, you just keep telling yourself that to justify your actions in Kosovo.

2. I add that the Albanians need to come to their senses by first recogising Serbia's sovereignity and joining us in our pursuit of EU membership.

Azir, you have certainly putme in my place.

So you think I should mind my own business and worry about RS. Why is that? What makes you think that RS is my business and not Kosovo?

I simply stated the obvious. No border control between Kosovo and Albania. When B92 writes something about RS I will probably comment on that, but until then Kosovo is just as my business as it is yours.

I think I will get some sleep now. I have lost too much accoridng to you.

Nenad you claim "Greater Serbia is not alive and never really was" Oh REALLY!! Then how do you justify you peoples four (4) wars of aggressions against civilians, which by the way you all lost.Did I forget to remind you your criminal attacks provoked NATO to put you in your place.You amuse me by trying to use my own words and confusing yourself while your at it. Why is Russia your only friend? Is it because they are there for their own oil interests and getting 500 milion dollar discounts.

Funcakes

Whatever the joint economic development programs of both Albania and Kosovo are, that is not the issue, it is good that Albania wants to help link the two countries (as we speak, there is a highway being built linking Berlin to Warsaw here in Poland, for example, this is normal in the EU, with highways linking EU states, from the UK, through the Netherlands, through Germany into Poland, as one of many), but to merge them into one state called Albania is not going to happen, that is all I am saying, it will cause a great deal of animosity in the Balkans yet again. This is why the Ahtisaari Plan (the only realistic option Kosovo can accept from the West in terms of independence) made this one of the main points.

I am pretty sure he didn't say this with his heart, but for right now in this situation it is quiet good answer.

Albania has no foreign policy and simply toes the line set for it by Brussels. Whatever you hear about Kosovo from Tirana is staged somewhere else.

The people of Albania,however, feel differently. They know they owe to Albanians from Kosovo their independence. They know that Kosovo w/o Albania will not be a feasible state.

Tirana, as Vaso Cubrilovic said in his infamous paper on how to remove Albanians from Kosovo, sings to the tune of money that comes its way.

I am ashamed to have Berisha represent me as a leader. A leader he is not

Because I know how Albanian politicians work, and I know exactly what they mean when they say "Albania and Kosovo won't merge!"

On the other side however, they've got televisions introducing and merging more and more content from both sides, the press on both countries usually has sections of developments in both Albania and Kosovo...which, if a merger is not planned, why the hell would they care for every little thing that happens on both sides, and even more importantly.....you've got a completely unaffordable highway being built linking Albania and Kosovo, and it's made top priority by the Albanian government. What that means is that all other road projects are lagging behind in Albania, and only some small sections in the coast are being touched. All the rest of the money is being poured on this highway. Not only that but the expectations for completing it are crazy...with people working as much as 3 shifts non-stop in the middle of the Albanian Alps type of winter!

Let's not also forget the 1997 events with the pyramid schemes in Albania, just in the nick of time for the Albanian weapons to dissapear from the state reserves and conviniently fall in the hands of the Albanians in Kosovo one year later.

Albania and Kosovo are so interlocked that it would shock you. It's basically the unspoken truth that everyone knows but does not officially pronounce because that's how you play this game, and that same West that is asking them to publically talk about not merging Albania and Kosovo, is the West that has carefully orchestrated for that to happen.

Even if more problems arise in EU because of it, that's exactly what they want! That's the name of the game! Freeze a conflict, unfreeze a conflict. It's been the name of the game for centuries and centuries, it won't change tune today.

Berisha’s declaration is quite different from those Serb politicians who talk about unifying Bosnia’s RS with Serbia. And this is just one more proof that the Kosovo case is not related to RS, nor the “we want to be part of Russia” breakaway Russian-occupied territories of Tiraspol, Sukhumi and South Ossetia.

If you really wish to know how Albanians in Albania and Kosovo feel about the prospect of 'a merger' between the two, please refer to these findings from the EU Commissions on the Balkans

http://ourmanintirana.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html

The results of the survey show a relatively high acceptance of the idea of a "Greater Albania" among the Albanian populations of both Kosovo and Albania. As a whole, they differ from other groups in the region in their view that a future unification of Kosovo and Albania is both desirable and possible (figure 6).

Sorry the link above should have been

http://bp2.blogger.com/_L2Cw59TqKWI/RbuZpysedbI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/--smBCj8fX4/s1600-h/Report_Page_44.jpg

Funcakes

No it hasn't. It won't happen because no one will allow it to happen, the Ahtisaari Plan forbids it, the EU is aginst, both governments are against it, the US is against it, why do you even suggest it?

It would be a slap in the face of the West who carefully tried to execute Kosovo's independence without starting another Balkan War.

To all the Serb posters on this site. Azir has just told me, I assume it goes for all the Serb supporters to keep out of Kosovo business as Serbs have no right to comment on anything concerning it.

Since Kosovo is a province of Serbia, I fail to see how he can make such a statement and not be corrected by me.

As for me putting my 2c worth in, I have every right to my opinion no matter how much he thinks it is worth.

Maybe I struck a nerve with him.

Both Albanians around the border want to join in one country. This is true and facts and polls show it. Now , they cant , but they almost have to join in one union( both countries in one union) because Kosova seem like it would never be able to get a seat on UN, while Albania has one, and automatecally Kosova get the one that ALbania has. 2- Kosova has to join Albania, otherwise serbs will albania be a constant threat. 3- It has been an Albanian territory for thousands of year, until we lost it to Yugoslavia on 1913. 4- No one can stop it. Legally once they gain indipendence they can join any country in the world they want, plus no one will care anymore since they are albanians .

what happened to the previous poster who claimed that the albanians in kosove were polled and 95% of them wished to reunite w/albania? lol

i'm not a big berisha supporter but there are many factors worth consideration in regards to kosove uniting w/albania but i will not get into them here.
albanians are native to the balkans and there's absolutely nothing wrong w/there being two albanian states. afterall, we have how many slavic nations and the slavic people certainly are NOT native to the region.

where in that article does it quote berisha as saying: "we don't want kosovo?"
he merely illustrated his opinion on the idea and that's not shocking, at least not for me, to read.
now if getting a seat at the UN proves to be unattainable then you may see a shift in his opinion, too.

The Albanians in Kosovo would not be fully independent until they had driven out the international troops (something that may never happen).

Once the troops have gone, there would be little to stop them then merging elements of administration with Albania. Once that starts, the Greater Albanian project would be defacto underway and no one would be able to stop it.

Peter,
there's life after the Ahtisaari plan
after 'full' independence, Kosovo can join Albania.

And especially if Kosovo doesn't have a seat in the UN and has trouble joining other world institutions, then becoming part of Albania is just the thing to do.

Serbs and Russians are helping the "greater albania" project.

It wouldn't be feasable for the two to join as one country. It would work to their disadvantage. If by any chance Kosovo/a becomes independent and actually gains a seat at the UN. Why would you want to give up a seat/vote to join your neighboring fellow albanians of Albania and lose the seat you worked so hard to gain. Two seats in the EU or at the UN are better then having one. You have more say in the balkans and in policies that will affect that region through the EU. Each could hold the seat of presidency of the EU if they ever joined.

The borders and highways will not matter. They will bring commerce and the balkan economies closer. There are planned highways for southern serbia that will connect to Kosovo/a And Macedonia. They are only on paper but in order to develop the region more highways will be built to join all the commerce of the balkans. And if all the balkan nations and possible future ones join the EU what does a border truly mean? Nothing!

Peace to all!

If Albania wants to live in peace with its Slavic neighbours it should not be dancing to America's tune in the Balkans.

in one thing he´s even right:

Kosovo is a serbian province.

Albanian PM is correct in publicly declaring no desire for unification with Kosova.Doesn't that make our slavic conspiracy theorist swallow their "Greater Albania" propaganda nonsense? Germany and Austria are both Germanic people living in two seperate countries.Serbia's continued support of the Radical policy and their refusal to comply with EU membership entry requirements indicates that Serbia plan for "Greater Serbia" is still alive and in effect. Serbia's "inat" must be dealt with accordingly.Before Serbia is to rise up they probably will hit rock bottom first.Tadic is finally admitting failure by stating his country is no longer instigating senseless wars. I add to that the Serbs need to come to their senses by first recogizing Kosova's independance and joining us in our pursuit of EU membership.Serbia's losses and failed policies is never a cause for celebrations, they do need to break their old habits.

"If Albania wants to live in peace with its Slavic neighbours it should not be dancing to America's tune in the Balkans.
(bosko, 19 January 2008 15:50) "

Why is that most Serbs like to tell others what to do? I mean who put you in, basko specifically, the position where you can tell others what tune should we be dancing? Or it just comes naturally to you and you somehow see yourself entitled to tell other what to do.

To be frank with you, any day and anytime I would choose the Amercian tune rather than the slavic one, Russian included. I cannot think of anytime in our history where our slavic neighbors, Russia included also, has not worked against our interest and well being.

Jovan, Albanian PM is not claiming Kosova for unification or suporting Serbia's claim to a province.If you understood what he stated correctly, then that comment of yours is inappropiate. As far as "Great Albania" is concerned Jovan I strongly recommend you get a mirror and use it.

Jovan,

We can argue here days and nights about whom Kosova belongs. One thing is for sure that Kosova belongs to people living in Kosova and it is not for sale or trade. Does this make sense? If not we will be very worried about your childish attitude here.

These guys just don't want to sound Nationalistic...

my advice

lets do the same with Republika Srpska.. so what if its not in the same border as Serbia.. if we have a better chance for "independence" over unification with Serbia... then I'm all for it

Azir, you have certainly putme in my place.

So you think I should mind my own business and worry about RS. Why is that? What makes you think that RS is my business and not Kosovo?

I simply stated the obvious. No border control between Kosovo and Albania. When B92 writes something about RS I will probably comment on that, but until then Kosovo is just as my business as it is yours.

I think I will get some sleep now. I have lost too much accoridng to you.

This is true and it will be like PM says, but on the other hand, if Kosova borders are not garanteed, other borders where there are ethinic albanians are not garanteed as well. Exept albania that borders will always be garanteed.

"I am pretty sure he didn't say this with his heart, but for right now in this situation it is quiet good answer."

In other words...he is not telling the truth.

johny

And what about those Slavic Poles, Slovenians, Bosnians, Czechs, Macedonians, Montenegrins and Croats who support your independence?

Don't turn this into an ethnic issue, Americans are also made up of Slavic citizens (the amount of Poles living in America outnumbers all Albanians worldwide).

Well, what do you all expect...you want them to say something that the Ahtisaari plan forbids will likely happen pretty soon?

The merger of Albania and Kosovo has been planned way before Yugoslavia was even created.

Azir,

1. Support for SRS and refusal to comply with whatever EU requirements you're talking about doesn't mean at all that Serbia's plan for a Greater Serbia is still alive and well. It is not alive and it never really was, you just keep telling yourself that to justify your actions in Kosovo.

2. I add that the Albanians need to come to their senses by first recogising Serbia's sovereignity and joining us in our pursuit of EU membership.

I am an Albanian from Albania and I would agree with the Albanian Prime Minister of "two different Albanian realities". The important thing is that both countries aim to join European Union and our common capital is Bruxelles.

Last summer I was driving from UK on holiday to visit my brother in south France and as I was trying to avoid the toll charges it happened to cross through Luxemburg and Belgim and back to France without realising that I have visited three countries in one go...

his country will not seek to make the Serbian province a part of its territory.

-What else to say when even he admits that Kosovo is Serbian province. Remember this-Serbian province. Does this statement means that even Albanians from Albania do not dare to call it differently.

For those of you who have never visited Kosovo, or are out a touch with reality, let me explain that the province will not be ready for EU membership by 2013 unless some serious and drastic progress is made.

I spent 2 years in the province working along side EU , UN , PISG, and religious leaders on the central and municipal levels, there are places that are serious about the standards of infrastructure, minority rights, transparent gov't, property rights, tax collection, and other areas necessary to access the EU.

Albania doesn't need to get Kosovo within it's borders to have control of it.

They are building their super highway like a bridge to each other. Who will control the border between Albania and Kosovo?
Albanian better be prepared to a fight with it's own people as Kosovo Albanians will just expect to come and go as they please, or is this all part of the plan anyway?

Peggy it seems your are losing sleep over who controls the border between Albania and Kosova. After independance, Kosova will have their own internationaly recognized border patrol.By the way who is controlling the border between Serbska Republica and Serbia? You're better off worrying about your own business, where as Kosova has nothing to do with you.

Funcakes

No it hasn't. It won't happen because no one will allow it to happen, the Ahtisaari Plan forbids it, the EU is aginst, both governments are against it, the US is against it, why do you even suggest it?

It would be a slap in the face of the West who carefully tried to execute Kosovo's independence without starting another Balkan War.

Because I know how Albanian politicians work, and I know exactly what they mean when they say "Albania and Kosovo won't merge!"

On the other side however, they've got televisions introducing and merging more and more content from both sides, the press on both countries usually has sections of developments in both Albania and Kosovo...which, if a merger is not planned, why the hell would they care for every little thing that happens on both sides, and even more importantly.....you've got a completely unaffordable highway being built linking Albania and Kosovo, and it's made top priority by the Albanian government. What that means is that all other road projects are lagging behind in Albania, and only some small sections in the coast are being touched. All the rest of the money is being poured on this highway. Not only that but the expectations for completing it are crazy...with people working as much as 3 shifts non-stop in the middle of the Albanian Alps type of winter!

Let's not also forget the 1997 events with the pyramid schemes in Albania, just in the nick of time for the Albanian weapons to dissapear from the state reserves and conviniently fall in the hands of the Albanians in Kosovo one year later.

Albania and Kosovo are so interlocked that it would shock you. It's basically the unspoken truth that everyone knows but does not officially pronounce because that's how you play this game, and that same West that is asking them to publically talk about not merging Albania and Kosovo, is the West that has carefully orchestrated for that to happen.

Even if more problems arise in EU because of it, that's exactly what they want! That's the name of the game! Freeze a conflict, unfreeze a conflict. It's been the name of the game for centuries and centuries, it won't change tune today.

I am pretty sure he didn't say this with his heart, but for right now in this situation it is quiet good answer.

I agree with the Albanian PM, unification should not happen. It would only cause further ethnic division, and having two Albanian states is not a problem (German, Spanish and French in particular).

With regards to the EU however, I think that the Albanian states Albania and especially Kosovo (when it becomes independent), as well as the Slavic states of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Montengero and Bosnia should not push for membership before they've sorted out a sizable portion of their economic problems first and foremost.

I can tell you as a Pole (I am sure any other CEE state now in the EU) that the EU, whilst developing infrastructure in the form of roads, telecommunications, banking, services, industry and agriculture, it also causes a great deal of migration Westward, thus causing skills shortages and huge amounts of foreign currency saturating the local markets, causing huge price increases in terms of property and even daily expenses. The decentralization process that comes with it also causes high unemployment.

Had I been the enlargement minister, this would have been my strategy of enlargement:

2005 - Czech Republic, Estonia and Slovenia

2007 - Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia

2009 - Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia

2011 - Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro

2013 - Kosovo (by then it should have sorted its problems out) and well as perhaps some CIS states, namely Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

I would say no to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey, and Russia would be too astronomical a task.

Sorry, I ranted a bit, but my point being, Albania and other Balkan states would do themselves a favor by developing themselves as much as possible, before they become another EU charity case like the current former communist states, that's my humble opinion on the matter.

Albania has no foreign policy and simply toes the line set for it by Brussels. Whatever you hear about Kosovo from Tirana is staged somewhere else.

The people of Albania,however, feel differently. They know they owe to Albanians from Kosovo their independence. They know that Kosovo w/o Albania will not be a feasible state.

Tirana, as Vaso Cubrilovic said in his infamous paper on how to remove Albanians from Kosovo, sings to the tune of money that comes its way.

I am ashamed to have Berisha represent me as a leader. A leader he is not

For the children here, Yes Kosovo is technically a province of Serbia, every news article states that it is 'An Internationaly Supervised State'. But not for long :)

I dont know about the tuneing, I'd say countries in the balkans especialy the slavic ones sympathize Albania more then Serbia since Serbia went to war with almost all of them; Slovenia is slavic, and their driving Kosovo into Independence.

This is a nationalistic point of view, that only a small minority of albanians have, I'm Kosovar and the people there know that joining with albania would only hurt us more. We're better off ourselfs.

Nenad you claim "Greater Serbia is not alive and never really was" Oh REALLY!! Then how do you justify you peoples four (4) wars of aggressions against civilians, which by the way you all lost.Did I forget to remind you your criminal attacks provoked NATO to put you in your place.You amuse me by trying to use my own words and confusing yourself while your at it. Why is Russia your only friend? Is it because they are there for their own oil interests and getting 500 milion dollar discounts.

Funcakes

Whatever the joint economic development programs of both Albania and Kosovo are, that is not the issue, it is good that Albania wants to help link the two countries (as we speak, there is a highway being built linking Berlin to Warsaw here in Poland, for example, this is normal in the EU, with highways linking EU states, from the UK, through the Netherlands, through Germany into Poland, as one of many), but to merge them into one state called Albania is not going to happen, that is all I am saying, it will cause a great deal of animosity in the Balkans yet again. This is why the Ahtisaari Plan (the only realistic option Kosovo can accept from the West in terms of independence) made this one of the main points.

Peggy, once again you feel the need to put your 2 cents in.Since Kosova is, without a doubt,going to declare and her independance recognized, Serbs therefor have no business interfering in the internal affairs of the newborn state. American foreign policy will finally put all the Serbs in their place. Had the international community monitored the borders of Serbia properly and prevented illegal military aggression against the four new born states of former Yugoslavia, hundreds of thousands of innoncent civilians lives would have been saved.

to merge them into one state called Albania is not going to happen, that is all I am saying, it will cause a great deal of animosity in the Balkans yet again.
------------------------------

So the Slav can have their churched sponsored states, but the Albanians cant have a home for their ethnicity, just as it was envisioned when this whole mess began?(but not followed through)

Berisha’s declaration is quite different from those Serb politicians who talk about unifying Bosnia’s RS with Serbia. And this is just one more proof that the Kosovo case is not related to RS, nor the “we want to be part of Russia” breakaway Russian-occupied territories of Tiraspol, Sukhumi and South Ossetia.

To all the Serb posters on this site. Azir has just told me, I assume it goes for all the Serb supporters to keep out of Kosovo business as Serbs have no right to comment on anything concerning it.

Since Kosovo is a province of Serbia, I fail to see how he can make such a statement and not be corrected by me.

As for me putting my 2c worth in, I have every right to my opinion no matter how much he thinks it is worth.

Maybe I struck a nerve with him.

If you really wish to know how Albanians in Albania and Kosovo feel about the prospect of 'a merger' between the two, please refer to these findings from the EU Commissions on the Balkans

http://ourmanintirana.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html

The results of the survey show a relatively high acceptance of the idea of a "Greater Albania" among the Albanian populations of both Kosovo and Albania. As a whole, they differ from other groups in the region in their view that a future unification of Kosovo and Albania is both desirable and possible (figure 6).

who wants to bet 1 euro, that albania will never be united with Kosovo, except the unification of European Union. Great Albania already exists. So in theory Kosovo is a Serbian province, but trust me, in practice Kosovo is in the same entity with Albania. So according to SC resoulution: Kosovo remains integral part of Serbia until another resolution comes into force. According to albanian people Kosovo is effectively linked, connected, united with Albania. A border that you can pass with a driving licence. However not politically but economically, culturally, spiritually. And this should not seem very tragic for the serbs, bosniacs, greeks or whatever.Is logical: we are all albanians and share the same identity. There is a highway that is going to finish in aprox 1 one year time which will connect Tirana with Pristina. It will be 3.5 hours trip. I was wondering if I can make a comparison between Serbia and Montenegro and Albania and Kosovo but i am not sure if it is the same. So borders, fences are not important within albanian people. Don;t fear Great Albania. This term has value only for albanians, but is meaningless for non-albanians. At least I see it like this..

Sorry the link above should have been

http://bp2.blogger.com/_L2Cw59TqKWI/RbuZpysedbI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/--smBCj8fX4/s1600-h/Report_Page_44.jpg

Both Albanians around the border want to join in one country. This is true and facts and polls show it. Now , they cant , but they almost have to join in one union( both countries in one union) because Kosova seem like it would never be able to get a seat on UN, while Albania has one, and automatecally Kosova get the one that ALbania has. 2- Kosova has to join Albania, otherwise serbs will albania be a constant threat. 3- It has been an Albanian territory for thousands of year, until we lost it to Yugoslavia on 1913. 4- No one can stop it. Legally once they gain indipendence they can join any country in the world they want, plus no one will care anymore since they are albanians .

what happened to the previous poster who claimed that the albanians in kosove were polled and 95% of them wished to reunite w/albania? lol

i'm not a big berisha supporter but there are many factors worth consideration in regards to kosove uniting w/albania but i will not get into them here.
albanians are native to the balkans and there's absolutely nothing wrong w/there being two albanian states. afterall, we have how many slavic nations and the slavic people certainly are NOT native to the region.

where in that article does it quote berisha as saying: "we don't want kosovo?"
he merely illustrated his opinion on the idea and that's not shocking, at least not for me, to read.
now if getting a seat at the UN proves to be unattainable then you may see a shift in his opinion, too.

The Albanians in Kosovo would not be fully independent until they had driven out the international troops (something that may never happen).

Once the troops have gone, there would be little to stop them then merging elements of administration with Albania. Once that starts, the Greater Albanian project would be defacto underway and no one would be able to stop it.

Peter,
there's life after the Ahtisaari plan
after 'full' independence, Kosovo can join Albania.

And especially if Kosovo doesn't have a seat in the UN and has trouble joining other world institutions, then becoming part of Albania is just the thing to do.

Serbs and Russians are helping the "greater albania" project.

It wouldn't be feasable for the two to join as one country. It would work to their disadvantage. If by any chance Kosovo/a becomes independent and actually gains a seat at the UN. Why would you want to give up a seat/vote to join your neighboring fellow albanians of Albania and lose the seat you worked so hard to gain. Two seats in the EU or at the UN are better then having one. You have more say in the balkans and in policies that will affect that region through the EU. Each could hold the seat of presidency of the EU if they ever joined.

The borders and highways will not matter. They will bring commerce and the balkan economies closer. There are planned highways for southern serbia that will connect to Kosovo/a And Macedonia. They are only on paper but in order to develop the region more highways will be built to join all the commerce of the balkans. And if all the balkan nations and possible future ones join the EU what does a border truly mean? Nothing!

Peace to all!