balkanalysis.com - Vreme Grills USIP’s Serwer on Kosovo Independence, Macedonia’s Future Sec

This is an interesting article as far as it goes. Vreme does not put Serwer's feet to the fire regarding Macedonians in Greece. Macedonians should not be put on the defensive about the rights of Albanians in Macedonia without countering with regard to the rights of Macedonians in Greece.

I know that Macedonian journalists have been questioning the US/EU/Nato types on this issue. What we need is Vreme to gather all the quotes from these people and put it in one article. Let them stand up and take "credit" for their position.

balkanalysis.com - Vreme Grills USIP’s Serwer on Kosovo Independence, Macedonia’s Future

by Christopher Deliso

The following is the text of this week's interview in Skopje daily Vreme with Daniel Serwer. Vreme World News Editor Cvetin Chilimanov offers some tough and insightful questions for the USIP’s “Director of Peace and Stability Operations” regarding the so-called “Burns Plan” for the Balkans.

While reading it, one might ask the following: do the powers-that-be have a nuanced view of the situation on the ground – or are they deeply in denial?

You be the judge!

Cvetin Chilimanov: Macedonia wasn't mentioned by name in the testimony of Undersecretary Burns, and I think you mention it once in your testimony. What would be our role in the future negotiations about Kosovo?

Daniel Serwer: Macedonia, as a neighbor of both Kosovo and Serbia, clearly has an interest in peace and stability in the region. Skopje will surely be consulted by any envoys appointed to work on the status issue, and its views will carry some weight in the process.

CC: We are mentioned indirectly as Kosovo's neighbors, whose borders are not to be touched. But, we don't even have a proper border to Kosovo, due to the obstructions from Kosovar Albanian politicians. Even UNMIK has recently indicated that it will wait for the status talks to get busy on this question. Is this situation a serious basis for entering the talks about creating a new country?

DS: This is a difficult situation, but a temporary one. It would certainly not be practical, or in Macedonia's interest, to try to demarcate the border over the objections of the Kosovo Assembly and Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, or to do it in cooperation with Belgrade. The Kosovars object because they won't be allowed to participate in the process, since sovereignty is at issue. Once status is resolved--within the next year--the border issue will be resolved quickly."