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Clinton: US Will Never AllowKosovoBorder Change

Demands Serbia Accept Border Exactly as Drawn

By Jason DitzGlobal Research, November 01, 2012Antiwar.com

Region: EuropeIn-depth Report: THE BALKANS

18 5 0

175

At the end of her visit with the Kosovar governments leadership, Secretary of

State Hillary Clinton demanded that Serbia normalize relations with itsneighbor, and insisted that the US would never allow any new negotiations onthe border between the two.The boundaries of an independent,sovereign Kosovo are clear and set,Clinton added. Kosovo was declaredindependent after a US invasion of the then-Serbian region in 1999. Ithas been occupied by NATO forcesever since.

The question of borders is notsimply sour grapes from the Serbiangovernment but a very seriousconcern over the fact that the linesdrawn after the war leave a numberof ethnic Serbian villages on theKosovo side of the border, and the

http://www.globalresearch.ca/author/jason-ditzhttp://www.globalresearch.ca/author/jason-ditzhttp://news.antiwar.com/http://www.globalresearch.ca/region/europehttp://www.globalresearch.ca/indepthreport/the-balkanshttp://www.globalresearch.ca/indepthreport/the-balkanshttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/world/europe/clinton-urges-serbia-to-accept-kosovo-and-its-borders.html?ref=worldhttp://news.antiwar.com/http://www.globalresearch.ca/region/europehttp://www.globalresearch.ca/indepthreport/the-balkanshttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/world/europe/clinton-urges-serbia-to-accept-kosovo-and-its-borders.html?ref=worldhttp://www.globalresearch.ca/author/jason-ditz

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ethnic-Albanian dominated Kosovo government has sought to prevent themfrom trading with Serbia, using NATO troops to try to seal the border.Which leaves open the question: if the US supports self-determination forKosovar Albanians, why not also for Kosovar Serbs who never wanted to secedefrom Serbia in the first place and now dont want to be stuck as part of the newKosovo. The US has not addressed the why of this double standard, buthas repeatedly reiterated that they will not allow northern Kosovo to secedefrom the rest of Kosovo, whether it is to re-join Serbia or to become its ownindependent state-let.

Clinton: US Will Never Allow Kosovo Border Change

Demands Serbia Accept Border Exactly as Drawn

By Jason Ditz

Global Research, November 01, 2012

Antiwar.com

Region: Europe

In-depth Report: THE BALKANS

18 5 0 175

At the end of her visit with the Kosovar governments leadership, Secretary of State

Hillary Clinton demanded that Serbia normalize relations with its neighbor, andinsisted that the US would never allow any new negotiations on the border betweenthe two.

http://news.antiwar.com/2012/06/01/several-civilians-wounded-in-nato-attack-on-northern-kosovo/http://news.antiwar.com/2012/02/15/75-percent-turnout-as-kosovar-serbs-reject-pristina-rule/http://news.antiwar.com/2012/02/13/un-slams-planned-kosovo-referendum-germany-warns-of-attacks-on-serbs/http://news.antiwar.com/2012/06/01/several-civilians-wounded-in-nato-attack-on-northern-kosovo/http://news.antiwar.com/2012/02/15/75-percent-turnout-as-kosovar-serbs-reject-pristina-rule/http://news.antiwar.com/2012/02/13/un-slams-planned-kosovo-referendum-germany-warns-of-attacks-on-serbs/

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The boundaries of an independent, sovereign Kosovo are clear and set, Clintonadded. Kosovo was declared independent after a US invasion of the then-Serbianregion in 1999. It has been occupied by NATO forces ever since.

The question of borders is not simply sour grapes from the Serbian government buta very serious concern over the fact that the lines drawn after the war leave anumber of ethnic Serbian villages on the Kosovo side of the border, and the ethnic-Albanian dominated Kosovo government has sought to prevent them from tradingwith Serbia, using NATO troops to try to seal the border.

Which leaves open the question: if the US supports self-determination for KosovarAlbanians, why not also for Kosovar Serbs who never wanted to secede from Serbiain the first place and now dont want to be stuck as part of the new Kosovo. The UShas not addressed the why of this double standard, but has repeatedly reiteratedthat they will not allow northern Kosovo to secede from the rest of Kosovo, whetherit is to re-join Serbia or to become its own independent state-let.