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Institute Denounces Kosovo Unilateral Declaration of Independence

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  • Institute Denounces Kosovo Unilateral Declaration of Independence

    Serbianna.com, MI
    Feb 17 2008


    PRESS RELEASE
    Institute President Denounces Kosovo Unilateral Declaration of
    Independence

    February 17, 2008


    Washington, D.C. - Institute on Religion and Public Policy President
    Joseph K. Grieboski released the following statement on today's
    unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo from Serbia:

    "The decision of the Kosovo Provisional Authorities to declare
    unilateral independence is illegal and in direct contravention to
    international law, the United Nations Charter, and UN Security
    Council Resolution 1244, and sets a dangerous precedent which can
    potentially lead to serious international destabilization.

    Kosovo's independence will quickly expose the weakness of the
    province's institutional infrastructure. Given Kosovo's limited
    participation in the U.N.'s administrative structure, it is simply
    illogical to assume that an amateur regime would possess the
    necessary expertise to dramatically improve the province's poor
    record of dealing with organized crime, drug trafficking and human
    rights abuses.

    The present record of rule of law, protection of the rights of
    religious and ethnic minorities, and the return/resettlement of
    internally displaced persons by the Provisional Authority of Kosovo -
    all of which are indispensable for democratic governance - have been
    gravely unsatisfactory since the establishment of the KPA.

    How can the United States and European powers expect viable political
    self-rule of Kosovo unless there is a well-demonstrated, long-term
    commitment on the part of Kosovo powerholders to the preservation of
    peace and ethnic diversity through both legislative and institutional
    means?

    Since 1999 the Kosovo Provisional Authority has, on many occasions,
    acted contrary to pertinent democratic commitments and norms, and
    therefore cannot be trusted as the sole independent guarantor of
    rights and freedoms for all peoples of Kosovo.

    Furthermore, today's declaration is a grave violation of the UN
    Charter itself, which affirms the territorial integrity,
    inviolability, sovereignty and national unity of states. Not only
    does the declaration shatter that principle, it further violates the
    Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244,
    which also makes clear that Kosovo is part of Serbia.

    The imminent threat of global destabilization calls for an
    internationally supported resolution that upholds legal precedent,
    recognizes the need for mutual compromise, and reflects a serious
    commitment to the protection of human and minority rights. Neither
    Russia nor China will accept a cosmetically altered "blank check" for
    independence.

    The international community's recognition of Kosovo's independence
    would set a dangerous precedent for secessionist movements worldwide.
    Would-be breakaway regions like Abkhazia and South Ossetia in
    Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan, the Turkish Republic of
    Northern Cyprus, Tibet and Taiwan with China, and numerous others
    will demand independence, against which Western diplomats will have
    very little political or historical leverage.

    As Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish member of the Iraqi parliament,
    observes, "just like Kosovo, Iraqi Kurdistan has also been under
    international protection." For nationalistic groups, there is no
    difference between an independent Kosovo and an independent
    Kurdistan.

    The international community must avoid planting a failed state in
    Southeast Europe."

    About Institute on Religion and Public Policy

    Nominated for the 2007 Nobel Prize in Peace, the Institute on
    Religion and Public Policy is an international, inter-religious
    non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring freedom of religion as
    the foundation for security, stability, and democracy.

    The Institute works globally with government policymakers, religious
    leaders, business executives, academics, international and regional
    organizations, non-governmental organizations and others in order to
    develop, protect, and promote fundamental rights - especially the
    right of religious freedom - and contributes to the intellectual and
    moral foundation of the fundamental right of religious freedom. The
    Institute encourages and assists in the effective and cooperative
    advancement of religious freedom.

    http://www.serbianna.com/news/2008/01371 .shtml
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