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American meddling in Europe and Kosovo | 47 comments (47 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: A bit of a contrarian view. (none / 0)
You're saying Serbia is going to enter the EU prior to Kosovo and then have a veto right over Kosovo's entry?

When pigs fly.

by Upstate NY on Wed Mar 19th, 2008 at 01:49:28 PM EST
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Re: A bit of a contrarian view. (4.00 / 2)
Are you saying Kosovo will cease to be a failed state before Serbia can qualify for EU membership?

It'd be nice if the battle were only against the right wingers, not half of the left on top of that — François in Paris
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Mar 19th, 2008 at 01:56:12 PM EST
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Re: A bit of a contrarian view. (4.00 / 4)
Kosovo is not a failed state. It's exactly the state the US government wants on the doorstep to the EU: a highly destabilizing mafia-state.

The Hun is always either at your throat or at your feet. Winston Churchill
by r------ on Wed Mar 19th, 2008 at 02:05:49 PM EST
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Re: A bit of a contrarian view. (none / 0)
One way or the other, it's not going to happen.

The Cypriots had the Greeks backing them.

The Serbs have no one going to the mat for them.

Serbia will eventually have to agree on the status of their dispute before admission.

by Upstate NY on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 09:58:53 AM EST
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Re: A bit of a contrarian view. (4.00 / 2)
Except for the absolute war criminal demand, Serbia would have had the SAA at least last year.

Serbia is vastly more prepared for EU membership than Kosovo is for any kind of normal, functioning statehood. Serbia has a democratic, European orientated government.

Also, but most importantly, the path into the European Union requires the agreement of all Member States ...

Kosovo will get an SAA when pigs fly, or the 12th of Never, whichever comes first.

by euamerican on Wed Mar 19th, 2008 at 02:36:38 PM EST
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Re: A bit of a contrarian view. (4.00 / 2)
Serbia is vastly more prepared for EU membership than Kosovo is for any kind of normal, functioning statehood. Serbia has a democratic, European orientated government.

If I was a Serb, I'd think long and hard before applying for EU membership.

By hooking up with Russia, Serbia could well find itself in a far more interesting position, strategically and economically. Russia badly needs friends, and would probably be a most accomodating partner.

What'd you think ?

by balbuz on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 05:48:22 AM EST
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Re: A bit of a contrarian view. (4.00 / 2)
Why does Russia badly need friends?
by generic on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 08:37:04 AM EST
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Re: A bit of a contrarian view. (4.00 / 3)
Because it has to play on the swings by itself?
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 08:45:51 AM EST
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Re: A bit of a contrarian view. (none / 1)
Yep, ha, ha ha..!
And I don't understand why Russia needs to inject itself in Serbia, which is a European country, and that EU has put a lot of efforts into already.

This is reminiscent of Turkey and Greece injecting themselves into the Cyprus communities before the 1974 invasion...

by euamerican on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 11:38:33 AM EST
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Silly (none / 0)
... except if you're a power-hungry oligarch.

How on earth would Serbia be better off economically by hooking up with Russia?

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 03:42:52 PM EST
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Re: Silly (none / 1)
For one, I think that the NIS - South Stream deal signed with Russia is much better in terms of value for Serbia than would have been possible with any of the majors backing the Nabucco pipeline.

Consider it like this: it's like having two job offers instead of one; allows you to negotiate. If Serbia deals with Russia, the EU can't ignore it. If Serbia deals with the EU, Russia CAN & will ignore it.

Besides, what incentive has Serbia to deal with the EU? It's been humiliated and maltreated for the past 20 years by this bloc.

by vladimir on Thu Mar 20th, 2008 at 04:22:54 PM EST
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American meddling in Europe and Kosovo | 47 comments (47 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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