Kosovo declares itself independent as an EU Colony

Today the Kosovar Assembly voted unamimously for Independence from Serbia. What does this actually mean for the province is something else entirely. Independence here is entirely symbolic as the EU will be running the Administration, the Courts and the Police Service, with NATO being the Army. Not exactly an "Free, independent and sovereign state"?

Pristina will be able to pass laws and sign treaties but will depend on EU Officals to implement them. The EU mission, when it is up and running, will have sweeping executive powers. It will have the right to veto the elected government if it deviates from the Brussels-approved reform path. It will have the power to intervene directly in Kosovo's internal affairs.

The EU of course are playing these powers down. Saying they will be seldom used, or are for emergencies only. Kosovo can be expected to be ruled like Germany and Japan after World War II for at about five to eight years.

Kosovo will be the EU's first time being an exporter of democratic principles. The EU has of course helped countries in tranisition from Dictatorships (Greece, Portugal, Spain) and from Communism (Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Poland). Kosovo is different as it is it defiance of international law. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 which in the preambulatory clauses states "Reaffirming the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the other States of the region, as set out in the Helsinki Final Act and annex 2"

This leaves Russia in a strong poistion in the UN. It can veto any application by Kosovo to join the UN, it can also block changes to Reslution 1244. Conversely France, the UK and the US can block Russian moves to have the UNSC declare the move illegal. So its stale mate at the UN.

Serbia, immediately disregard the´declaration saying it will not recognise a 'false state' which would be a "satellite state known as Kosovo". Serbia of course has ruled out the use of force, but will use ddiplomatic means to try and bring Kosovo back in.

Serbia remains the main trading partner of Kosovo so if Serbia brings in sanctions then Kosovo could be worse off.

Only time will tell if Kosovo will end up a "Free, independent and sovereign state" or just a failed state.

Ireland to recognise an Independent Kosovo

This is the news story of today. Kosovo is expected to declare indepence from Serbia this afternoon. I had to google it but I finally found a website that lists the countrues that will recognise an Independent Kosovo. They are (EU member states in bold):

• Albania


• Argentina


• Australia


• Austria


• Belgium


• Bulgaria


• Canada


• Cote d'Ivoire


• Croatia


• Czech Republic


• Denmark


• Estonia


• Fiji


• Finland


• France


• Germany


• Greece


• Greenland


• Hungary


• Iceland


• Ireland


• Israel


• Italy


• Japan


• Kuwait


• Latvia


• Lithuania


• Luxembourg


• Macedonia, FYR


• Malaysia


• Malta


• Mauritania


• Monaco


• Montenegro


• Morocco


• Netherlands


• New Zealand


• Norway


• Pakistan


• Poland


• Portugal


• Saudi Arabia


• Slovak Republic


• Slovenia


• Sweden


• Switzerland


• Tonga


• Tunisia


• Turkey


• Tuvalu


• United Kingdom


• United States

3 EU member states are missing from the list. Cyprus, Spain and Romania, have not signalled a willingness to recognise a Independent Kosovo.

Of course the biggest opponets to Kosovo's independence are Russia and Serbia. The Serbs have promised no military backlash against moves for independence but will punish the country with economic sanctions and use its political influence against it.

I assume Russia will block any future Kosovo attempts to join the UN.

It will be an interesting few days.

Morning Briefing, 26th February

Well I'm back in Cork after USI LGBT Standing Conference, where I was re-elected to Working Group on the 3rd count! Also congrats to Ms. Sonya Donneally who was elected unanimously as the new LGBTRO! woo! (P.S. If anyone wants to know what motions where passed email me!)

In the news today!

The International Court of Justice, is due to deliver its verdict today on whether ot not Serbia is responsible for Genocide 'through the killing, torture, rape and expulsion of Bosnian Muslims' (CNN, RTÉ, Breakingnews) If passed, it will be the first time that a state, rather than an individual or group, has been held responsible for genocide.

Nurses begin there industrial action today with a protest outside CUH (Breakingnews, RTÉ) The INO and PNA are seeking a 10% pay increase for their members and a reduction in their working week to 35 hours.

Israel is after performing a raid on the West Bank, it has now entered its second day (RTÉ, Breakingnews)

Jean-Marie Le Pen has laucned his latest bid for the french presidency (France 24, CNN) He has put forward an anti-immigration, ultranationalist stance, pledging to cut off social benefits for foreigners and deporting those who are unable to fend for themselves. He is having difficulty getting 500 mayors to back him.

Talks begin today in London on Iran's Nuclear program. (CNN, France 24). The P5 and Germany are meeting to discuss the next course of action. Israel is denying that its has plans to attack Iran's Nuclear facilities (France 24) and the USA have plans to bomb Iran according to Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Seymour Hersh (CNN)

Thats its for now!

Morning Briefing, 16th February

Dia Duit

An nuacht ar an maidin seo.

The row over the cost of the Mahon Tribunal continues today (Breakingnews) with Judge Mahon saying the tribunal will only cost €300m, maybe less. Also Labour are getting in on the act (RTÉ) saying that the government are trying to delay the tribunal. Well d'uh

Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed a former rebel as President of Chechnya (France 24) Pity he wasn't elected.

Serbia has rejected the UN plan for Kosovo (CNN). Surprise surprise. I can't see any Serbian parliament accepting independence, virtual or not, for Kosovo.

North Koreans are celebrating Kim Jong-Il 65th birthday (France 24). Though state media in north korea seam to warning about a military threat from the US. I don't see how they can invade as the armed forces are stretched to the limit Iraq and Afghanistan.

The US House of Representatives is due to vote on a resolution against the troop surge in Iraq today. (CNN)Also House speaker Nancy Pelosi has stated that "Bush lacks authority to invade Iran"

The European Parliament has adopted a report which implicates 13 member states in cooperating with CIA rendition flights (France 24) The national governments specifically criticised for their unwillingness to cooperate with Parliament's investigations were those of Austria, Italy, Poland, Portugal and the UK. The report also gives detailed evidence of investigations of illegal rendition or CIA flight cases involving Germany, Sweden, Spain, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Denmark, Turkey, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Bosnia and Romania (EU Parliament Website)

Thats it for now!

Slán!

Morning Briefing, 22nd January

Dia Duit!

Tá sé ag cur sneachta!!!!

An nuacht ar an maidin seo!

Well the north's PSNI is ser to be racked by accusations today with a new repoprt due to be launched by the Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan (Breakingnews) This could undo alot of hard work that the PSNI has undertaken under the Patten report!

Well Hilary is 'in this to win' (Breakingnews). I hope to put up a post shortly about presidential hopefuls!

A radical nationalist party seams to have won elections in Serbia, that France 24 has termed a 'hollow' victory as it is unlikely that they will find a coalition partner.

Sin é ar an maidin seo!

Slán!

Eurovision 2007 Finland

Hello Europe, this is Cork Calling!

Well its getting closer! The year 2007 that is and im already getting my fill of updates from esctoday.com and eurovision.tv but i hadnt realisied that this year a record 42 countries will be taking part in the competition. God the voting will be even longer.

This year Hungary and Austria (dropped out for 2006) return to the competition and teh Czech Republic and Georgia join the ESC Family. Also this year with the seperation of Montenegro from Serbia, they are competing as seperate countries.

The contest could have been bigger but Monaco has decided not to take part this year

The line up for the 52nd Edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in the Hartwall Areena, Helsinki, so far is

Semi-Final: Thursday 10th of May, 2007
Participating countries (28): Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, FYR Macedonia, Georgia , Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Latvia , Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Turkey

Final: Saturday 12th of May, 2007
Participating countries: Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

Participants so far confirmed:
*Moldova: Natalia Barbu, Fight
*The Netherlands: Edsilia Rombley
*Switzerland: Dj Bobo
*Ireland: Dervish

Albania will be the next country to choose their act when Festival i kenges is broadcast on the 23rd of December.

For more information on upcoming selections check out ESCtoday's Calender