K. Albanians "to send police to north"

This is just another try by Pristina to raise trouble and (maybe violent) protest right before the ICJ decision.

"K. Albanians "to send police to north""

I was expecting this earlier, but better late than never.

This is the final step so that even our Kosovar citizen of Serbian ethnicity in the North to have law and order just like the rest of KOsovo.

Well Done

I really do hope the temporary institutions are foolish enough to send in police because these acts escelate tensions and will only hasten the temp. institutions' demise via Res. 1244, which becomes easier to implement as US-led occupiers continue to withdraw.

Am I the only one who wonders where the K Albs assume the authority to make such inflammatory statements? What happened to 1244?

I think that this so called "special police" even don't have a chance against Serbs in N. Mitrovica, it is so easy for them to drive out this funny characters out of Mitrovica. They will AGAIN look stupid.So one message to minister Rezhepi. LEAVE SERBS ALONE OR YOU WILL REGRET IT !!!!

"There are Serb policemen within the special unit. They will be sent there to react in order to dispel doubts that these units are against the Serb community," said he."

So he will sending Serb policemen up north? Where no Albanian official dare go unescorted, least of all Bajram himself. What will these policemen do up there? Drink coffee or tea with their brethens perhaps. So what's so earth shaking about that?

These are statements of provocation by Rexhapqi (not sure of spelling), why in the world do the Albanians want to force their presence in areas where they are not welcomed? Can someone please explain that to me? Pristina has no authority to police any part of Kosovo without Eulex approval, do they think that the serbs will stand still for this? Do they think that Clinton is still around and that he will back them with every move they make? The way to end conflicts is through dialogue, not by force. Can't the K Albanians learn this?

As much as I would want NJOSU/ROSU up there I would suggest first to send in local officers from other towns as to not creat a panic environment as did Serbia with locals in Presheva valley. We have loyal K-Serbs officers in Shterpce, Gracanica, Gjilan, Prizren, Ferizaj, Peja and etc to use up there. And only when that task fails you send in NJSO as the last resort. Simple and very effective.

More of Pristina's huffing and puffing?

1. We're going to cut your power - damn, they have generators. Oh crap, EPS moved in.

2. We're going to cut your phone lines - wuh? how did those phone lines get restored?

3. We're going to open a EULEX office - what do you mean they're rioting?

and now,

4. We're going to send in police - I can't help but picture the ensuing scenario as anything but harmonious.

The first three ended in a less than spectacular showing for Pristina. Unless they want a complete debacle they might want to rethink this latest march of folly. This is getting almost comical.

Big words from a small man!

"The areas of the province north of the Ibar River are predominantly inhabited by Serbs who do not recognize the authority of the government in Priština, or its unilateral independence declaration made in early 2008. "

Bla bla bla b92, we both know that those 2000 people are the same who "vote" and the same who "riot"
No need to paint all the other decent Serbs and other minority's with Belgrades "finest"

"These are statements of provocation by Rexhapqi (not sure of spelling), why in the world do the Albanians want to force their presence in areas where they are not welcomed?" (karlsdad)

-- In all likelihood to hasten Pristina's eventual loss of the north, which everyone knows Belgrade is gearing up to negotiate retention of after the ICJ ruling. Sending a bunch of lightly armed policemen to "patrol" an area comprised of over 40,000 Serbs completely integrated with Belgrade is a token show that Pristina is trying "something" in getting the north. No one except perhaps the Albanian internet diaspora actually thinks this will work. This is effectively a reversal of 1999. Once this blows up in Pristina's face (perhaps literally - in fact they probably would even want that), they can have good reason to write off the north in exchange for guaranteeing Belgrade's acquiescence over letting the rest of Kosovo go.

Pristina knows they have no chance of controlling the north but they need to look strong for their constituents. They can't write off the north before the ICJ but they can certainly put themselves in a position to negotiate away an "unruly" part of their "country". My only concern is that while Belgrade is putting all its eggs in one basket, it's basically abandoning Gracanica, Strpce and other enclaves in the upcoming deal. It really does seem that this is what Belgrade has planned all along.

http://english.blic.rs/News/6642/Belgrade-offers-UN-seat-for-north-of-Kosovo

This could turnout to be more interesting than if the Albanians were sending in the Reno 911 cops.

Kosovo has been partitioned long ago. Some people just refuse to face the truth.

"Whatever the outcome of Kosovo's independence, everyone knows we are heading for de facto partition. But no one is willing to admit it."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/world/europe/18iht-kosovo.5.10161684.html?_r=1

http://www.kosovocompromise.com/cms/item/analysis/en.html?view=story&id=2535§ionId=2

This is just more talk from some empty suit in Pristina... Head of Eulex already verified this:

"He said that there has been no agreement for deploying special police units to northern Kosovo, and that EULEX will continue to cooperate with all sides in order to form and train a multi-ethnic special police force."

Once again, the EU has told Pristina that it is not in charge, especially in the north.

B92 News Politics Politics
K. Albanians "to send police to north"
9 July 2010 | 11:03 | Source: Tanjug
PRIŠTINA -- A Kosovo Albanian government minister said in Priština that "special forces" of the Kosovo police would be sent to the Serb north.

Bajram Rexhepi, who is the Priština government's interior minister, said such a move would come in order to secure "peace and order".

He told Albanian language daily Koha Ditore that Kosovo police, KPS, has a "signed contract" with the EU mission, EULEX, that enables it to make such moves.

Rexhepi described the personnel he had in mind as "special police forces for operative protection".

"There are Serb policemen within the special unit. They will be sent there to react in order to dispel doubts that these units are against the Serb community," said he.

Any Serb who enlists in a force that is hell bent on the opressing Serbian population in Kosovo, IS NOT A SERB!

The temporary institutions in Pristina are heading into big trouble if they send any Police to the North. Serbia has said in the past that the army is ready to protect the Kosovo Serbs. Im actually hoping they send in the police so they could get beat down by the Serb Army.

"Which would force KFOR to react and North Mitrovica would then be turned into a war zone. Talks would be forced then over North Kosovo but who would want the wasteland that would be left?
It is always the ones who wish for war that are least affected by it.
(pss, 10 July 2010 14:54) "

You talk about KFOR reacting -- you are right on! They will react -- against YOU (not the Serbs) if you guys dare to try to send Albanian policemen up there in the first place.

With Nato on the ropes over Afghanistan, Iraq, Georgia, etc the last thing it wants is any unnecessary provocation by Bajram and Co.

"Which would force KFOR to react and North Mitrovica would then be turned into a war zone." (pss)

-- Well that really is the $64,000 question is it not? Will KFOR back this phantom Albanian police force in the likely event of Serb retaliation (provided this even gets off the ground)?

My prediction is that in all likelihood they will not. They haven't volunteered to be Pristina's hired muscle in the past and they're pretty determined to keep the peace in the present. If what I saw in KM last year is any indication of KFOR's interests, sitting in cafes eating burek, drinking coffee/rakija/beer and paying for it all in RSD is a pretty good indication they're perfectly happy to let northern Kosovo remain part of Serbia. They only get twitchy around the bridges. A block in, they might as well be on a weekend pass in Belgrade.

This is the optimum time to drive out the MUP contingent in North Mitrovica and it will be done with Serb vs Serb. It should be rather easy to accomplish, and if not, then Albanian Kosovar Special Forces will conduct mop up operations till law and order is restored in the North. This will finally give decent Serbs in North Mitrovica that want to live peacefully with their Albanian neighbors a chance to be productive citizens in Kosova.

There can be no legal basis for Pristina to establish legality for the udi if it is not actually in control of all the territory it claims under the udi. For that reason Pristina needs to destabilise the current situation and hope that the coin comes down again in its favour.

"There are Serb policemen within the special unit. They will be sent there to react in order to dispel doubts that these units are against the Serb community," said he."
===================

I wonder how many Serbs are going to be going there and if they will be willing to kill their brothers.

If they decide that they will open fire or do any harm to their brothers, then they should be treated exactly the same way as the Albanian police. Sending a couple of traitor Serbs up there doesn't prove that it it not against the Serbs. All it proves is that some Serbs are willing to sell out their brothers.
There were Serbs serving in the Bosnian army too. Does that make RS invalid?

(Mike, 9 July 2010 16:57)

Mike, if that link you posted really represents the views of the Serbian government, then there has been a really big misunderstanding of the phrase "negotiations about status" from the albanian side on this site. The serbian government is not excluding that "negotiations about status" might have as outcome an eventual recognition the independence of Kosovo (actually of a part of it). And here we were all thinking "talks about status" was a contradicting phrase, because Jeremic says sentences like "Serbia will never recognize Kosovo". What he actually means is probably "Serbia will never recognize Kosovo as it is now, but it might recognize Kosovo without the north, and swap territories". Makes one think Kosovo-USA (and maybe PRN I don't remember) who talk about swapping territories were right all the time and more in tune with what Belgrade thinks than anybody else here. Very confusing, very confusing all these politicians (and the media) are :), but if Kosovo-USA and Jeremic can converge, who are we to say anything against it.
The fact that Gerard Gallucci says what he says makes this even more credible for me, as I think he is the spokesperson of the true desires of the leadership in Belgrade. I have a new attitude about the sentence "negotiations about status" starting from today, thanks for the link.

"Mike, if that link you posted really represents the views of the Serbian government, then there has been a really big misunderstanding of the phrase "negotiations about status" from the albanian side on this site." (KU)

-- Right now I'm taking this as just what it is: a newspaper article - but an article that raises a new set of issues different from what we've come to expect from the daily tussle. If Blic is in fact speaking the truth, then yes there can be some significant changes coming down the road for the Kosovo status negotiations.

Personally, I'm not in favor of swapping the north for Presevo. I'm more of a Daytonization-fan. But if this is really what Belgrade has in mind - and let's be honest: they have made it clear the Red Line is at the Ibar. They've made only small noise over Gracanica and Strpce while basically ignoring most of the rest - then who am I to argue? If this is what they want, and this is what they're willing to negotiate on, then fine. Sign the papers and move on.

Let's see what happens.

The temporary institutions in Pristina are heading into big trouble if they send any Police to the North. Serbia has said in the past that the army is ready to protect the Kosovo Serbs. Im actually hoping they send in the police so they could get beat down by the Serb Army.
(Anonymous, 10 July 2010 05:47)
Which would force KFOR to react and North Mitrovica would then be turned into a war zone. Talks would be forced then over North Kosovo but who would want the wasteland that would be left?
It is always the ones who wish for war that are least affected by it.

"K. Albanians "to send police to north""

I was expecting this earlier, but better late than never.

This is the final step so that even our Kosovar citizen of Serbian ethnicity in the North to have law and order just like the rest of KOsovo.

Well Done

"The areas of the province north of the Ibar River are predominantly inhabited by Serbs who do not recognize the authority of the government in Priština, or its unilateral independence declaration made in early 2008. "

Bla bla bla b92, we both know that those 2000 people are the same who "vote" and the same who "riot"
No need to paint all the other decent Serbs and other minority's with Belgrades "finest"

As much as I would want NJOSU/ROSU up there I would suggest first to send in local officers from other towns as to not creat a panic environment as did Serbia with locals in Presheva valley. We have loyal K-Serbs officers in Shterpce, Gracanica, Gjilan, Prizren, Ferizaj, Peja and etc to use up there. And only when that task fails you send in NJSO as the last resort. Simple and very effective.

I really do hope the temporary institutions are foolish enough to send in police because these acts escelate tensions and will only hasten the temp. institutions' demise via Res. 1244, which becomes easier to implement as US-led occupiers continue to withdraw.

Am I the only one who wonders where the K Albs assume the authority to make such inflammatory statements? What happened to 1244?

I think that this so called "special police" even don't have a chance against Serbs in N. Mitrovica, it is so easy for them to drive out this funny characters out of Mitrovica. They will AGAIN look stupid.So one message to minister Rezhepi. LEAVE SERBS ALONE OR YOU WILL REGRET IT !!!!

This is just another try by Pristina to raise trouble and (maybe violent) protest right before the ICJ decision.

These are statements of provocation by Rexhapqi (not sure of spelling), why in the world do the Albanians want to force their presence in areas where they are not welcomed? Can someone please explain that to me? Pristina has no authority to police any part of Kosovo without Eulex approval, do they think that the serbs will stand still for this? Do they think that Clinton is still around and that he will back them with every move they make? The way to end conflicts is through dialogue, not by force. Can't the K Albanians learn this?

"There are Serb policemen within the special unit. They will be sent there to react in order to dispel doubts that these units are against the Serb community," said he."

So he will sending Serb policemen up north? Where no Albanian official dare go unescorted, least of all Bajram himself. What will these policemen do up there? Drink coffee or tea with their brethens perhaps. So what's so earth shaking about that?

"These are statements of provocation by Rexhapqi (not sure of spelling), why in the world do the Albanians want to force their presence in areas where they are not welcomed?" (karlsdad)

-- In all likelihood to hasten Pristina's eventual loss of the north, which everyone knows Belgrade is gearing up to negotiate retention of after the ICJ ruling. Sending a bunch of lightly armed policemen to "patrol" an area comprised of over 40,000 Serbs completely integrated with Belgrade is a token show that Pristina is trying "something" in getting the north. No one except perhaps the Albanian internet diaspora actually thinks this will work. This is effectively a reversal of 1999. Once this blows up in Pristina's face (perhaps literally - in fact they probably would even want that), they can have good reason to write off the north in exchange for guaranteeing Belgrade's acquiescence over letting the rest of Kosovo go.

Pristina knows they have no chance of controlling the north but they need to look strong for their constituents. They can't write off the north before the ICJ but they can certainly put themselves in a position to negotiate away an "unruly" part of their "country". My only concern is that while Belgrade is putting all its eggs in one basket, it's basically abandoning Gracanica, Strpce and other enclaves in the upcoming deal. It really does seem that this is what Belgrade has planned all along.

http://english.blic.rs/News/6642/Belgrade-offers-UN-seat-for-north-of-Kosovo

More of Pristina's huffing and puffing?

1. We're going to cut your power - damn, they have generators. Oh crap, EPS moved in.

2. We're going to cut your phone lines - wuh? how did those phone lines get restored?

3. We're going to open a EULEX office - what do you mean they're rioting?

and now,

4. We're going to send in police - I can't help but picture the ensuing scenario as anything but harmonious.

The first three ended in a less than spectacular showing for Pristina. Unless they want a complete debacle they might want to rethink this latest march of folly. This is getting almost comical.

Big words from a small man!

This could turnout to be more interesting than if the Albanians were sending in the Reno 911 cops.

Kosovo has been partitioned long ago. Some people just refuse to face the truth.

"Whatever the outcome of Kosovo's independence, everyone knows we are heading for de facto partition. But no one is willing to admit it."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/world/europe/18iht-kosovo.5.10161684.html?_r=1

http://www.kosovocompromise.com/cms/item/analysis/en.html?view=story&id=2535§ionId=2

This is the optimum time to drive out the MUP contingent in North Mitrovica and it will be done with Serb vs Serb. It should be rather easy to accomplish, and if not, then Albanian Kosovar Special Forces will conduct mop up operations till law and order is restored in the North. This will finally give decent Serbs in North Mitrovica that want to live peacefully with their Albanian neighbors a chance to be productive citizens in Kosova.

B92 News Politics Politics
K. Albanians "to send police to north"
9 July 2010 | 11:03 | Source: Tanjug
PRIŠTINA -- A Kosovo Albanian government minister said in Priština that "special forces" of the Kosovo police would be sent to the Serb north.

Bajram Rexhepi, who is the Priština government's interior minister, said such a move would come in order to secure "peace and order".

He told Albanian language daily Koha Ditore that Kosovo police, KPS, has a "signed contract" with the EU mission, EULEX, that enables it to make such moves.

Rexhepi described the personnel he had in mind as "special police forces for operative protection".

"There are Serb policemen within the special unit. They will be sent there to react in order to dispel doubts that these units are against the Serb community," said he.

Any Serb who enlists in a force that is hell bent on the opressing Serbian population in Kosovo, IS NOT A SERB!

The temporary institutions in Pristina are heading into big trouble if they send any Police to the North. Serbia has said in the past that the army is ready to protect the Kosovo Serbs. Im actually hoping they send in the police so they could get beat down by the Serb Army.

"There are Serb policemen within the special unit. They will be sent there to react in order to dispel doubts that these units are against the Serb community," said he."
===================

I wonder how many Serbs are going to be going there and if they will be willing to kill their brothers.

If they decide that they will open fire or do any harm to their brothers, then they should be treated exactly the same way as the Albanian police. Sending a couple of traitor Serbs up there doesn't prove that it it not against the Serbs. All it proves is that some Serbs are willing to sell out their brothers.
There were Serbs serving in the Bosnian army too. Does that make RS invalid?

The temporary institutions in Pristina are heading into big trouble if they send any Police to the North. Serbia has said in the past that the army is ready to protect the Kosovo Serbs. Im actually hoping they send in the police so they could get beat down by the Serb Army.
(Anonymous, 10 July 2010 05:47)
Which would force KFOR to react and North Mitrovica would then be turned into a war zone. Talks would be forced then over North Kosovo but who would want the wasteland that would be left?
It is always the ones who wish for war that are least affected by it.

"Which would force KFOR to react and North Mitrovica would then be turned into a war zone." (pss)

-- Well that really is the $64,000 question is it not? Will KFOR back this phantom Albanian police force in the likely event of Serb retaliation (provided this even gets off the ground)?

My prediction is that in all likelihood they will not. They haven't volunteered to be Pristina's hired muscle in the past and they're pretty determined to keep the peace in the present. If what I saw in KM last year is any indication of KFOR's interests, sitting in cafes eating burek, drinking coffee/rakija/beer and paying for it all in RSD is a pretty good indication they're perfectly happy to let northern Kosovo remain part of Serbia. They only get twitchy around the bridges. A block in, they might as well be on a weekend pass in Belgrade.

"Which would force KFOR to react and North Mitrovica would then be turned into a war zone. Talks would be forced then over North Kosovo but who would want the wasteland that would be left?
It is always the ones who wish for war that are least affected by it.
(pss, 10 July 2010 14:54) "

You talk about KFOR reacting -- you are right on! They will react -- against YOU (not the Serbs) if you guys dare to try to send Albanian policemen up there in the first place.

With Nato on the ropes over Afghanistan, Iraq, Georgia, etc the last thing it wants is any unnecessary provocation by Bajram and Co.

There can be no legal basis for Pristina to establish legality for the udi if it is not actually in control of all the territory it claims under the udi. For that reason Pristina needs to destabilise the current situation and hope that the coin comes down again in its favour.

(Mike, 9 July 2010 16:57)

Mike, if that link you posted really represents the views of the Serbian government, then there has been a really big misunderstanding of the phrase "negotiations about status" from the albanian side on this site. The serbian government is not excluding that "negotiations about status" might have as outcome an eventual recognition the independence of Kosovo (actually of a part of it). And here we were all thinking "talks about status" was a contradicting phrase, because Jeremic says sentences like "Serbia will never recognize Kosovo". What he actually means is probably "Serbia will never recognize Kosovo as it is now, but it might recognize Kosovo without the north, and swap territories". Makes one think Kosovo-USA (and maybe PRN I don't remember) who talk about swapping territories were right all the time and more in tune with what Belgrade thinks than anybody else here. Very confusing, very confusing all these politicians (and the media) are :), but if Kosovo-USA and Jeremic can converge, who are we to say anything against it.
The fact that Gerard Gallucci says what he says makes this even more credible for me, as I think he is the spokesperson of the true desires of the leadership in Belgrade. I have a new attitude about the sentence "negotiations about status" starting from today, thanks for the link.

This is just more talk from some empty suit in Pristina... Head of Eulex already verified this:

"He said that there has been no agreement for deploying special police units to northern Kosovo, and that EULEX will continue to cooperate with all sides in order to form and train a multi-ethnic special police force."

Once again, the EU has told Pristina that it is not in charge, especially in the north.

"Mike, if that link you posted really represents the views of the Serbian government, then there has been a really big misunderstanding of the phrase "negotiations about status" from the albanian side on this site." (KU)

-- Right now I'm taking this as just what it is: a newspaper article - but an article that raises a new set of issues different from what we've come to expect from the daily tussle. If Blic is in fact speaking the truth, then yes there can be some significant changes coming down the road for the Kosovo status negotiations.

Personally, I'm not in favor of swapping the north for Presevo. I'm more of a Daytonization-fan. But if this is really what Belgrade has in mind - and let's be honest: they have made it clear the Red Line is at the Ibar. They've made only small noise over Gracanica and Strpce while basically ignoring most of the rest - then who am I to argue? If this is what they want, and this is what they're willing to negotiate on, then fine. Sign the papers and move on.

Let's see what happens.