Again by iPhone.
Seems that an agreement has been reached for Pristina to withdraw its special police from the north and for the local Serbs to end their blockade of the roads to the two boundary crossings. Serbian members of the KPS would resume their presence at Gates One and 31 along with EULEX.
However, a Kosovo Albanian policeman (from ROSU) reportedly has died from wounds suffered during exchanges of gunfire in Zubin Potok. Prime Minister Thaci had meanwhile publicly declared that the Kosovo government acted to bring "law and order" into the north, which he reportedly called a " black hole" in it's territory. It was unclear whether all ROSU (special police) had withdrawn or whether they might be ordered back.
President Tadic reportedly said Serbia would not go to war and called on Kosovo Serbs to remain calm. Deputy PM Dacic reportedly called Pristina's action an attempt at "violent integration" of the north into independent Kosovo and the result of a long held plan.
Most peacekeepers working in the north have understood the importance of preventing and containing conflicts between Serbs and Albanians before any blood was shed. (This seems harder to understand the farther away from Mitrovica that one is.) The sad death of the Kosovo police officer represents a failure of peacekeeping. KFOR and EULEX share this failure. Inaction and lack of proactive use of executive powers and political influence allowed Pristina to believe it could act as it wished. Lack of clear warnings from the Quint that unilateral actions by Pristina would be unwelcome also may have played a part. But now blood has been shed, emotions will run high and may create further unhelpful dynamics.
All sides should desist from provocative actions and ensure there is no further violence. EULEX and KFOR should meet their responsibilities under 1244 to keep the peace and ensure that Pristina stops acting in a unilateral and dangerous manner. Pristina can not be left to "enforce" boundaries of a state without agreed international status. Its embargo of Serbian goods is its own business. But leaving it free to seek to apply that decision, or any other, north of the Ibar risks war.
Time is long past for EULEX and KFOR to remember they are in Kosovo as peacekeepers under UN mandate.
Good points. Short and clear, though it is hardly to believe that 11 years later and after many similar events in the past, the pro-Pristina hardline international team (US office, French office, ICO, British office) will finally learn or change something in their attitude.
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