Kosovo’s Cop and Karabakh Conflict

Recently, our center of attention again in Kosovo was the decision of the International Court of Armenian great passions inflamed the political arena today perhaps there is no force in Armenia, Serbia, which wouldn’t interest the region’s fate. In Kosovo’s interests there are many countries around the face: Serbia and Albania, the United States and Russia …

But first a small historical reference: the main Serbian region of Kosovo is historically Serbian civilization and the native lands, but being near the border with Albania was considered the Serb-Albanian contact zone. While the XVI century between Serbs and Albanians was not ever conflict. The situation changed when the Ottoman Turks just Serbia, Kosovo will explode troops occupied the Serbian or Albanian areas. Unlike the Albanians who adopted Islam and the nation integrated Turkish civilization, the people of Serbia for centuries was waging armed struggle for survival and for the restoration of national sovereignty this time also appeared in the first Kosovo Albanian newcomers by which the Ottoman Empire wanted to change the ethnic image of the region. They took Serbs extreme persecution or political or economic spheres.

In any case, the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo have always had a minority. In 1939 they were part of the Kosovo of population of only 10%. The situation has changed in Yugoslavia leader Josef Broz Tito management years (from 1945-1980). He was an ethnic Croatian and emphasized against Serbian had conducted a policy of national cleansing is a result of the 1980s the absolute majority of Kosovo’s population More than 80% of the ethnic Albanians. 1974 Tito’s efforts of the Kosovo region were given autonomy within Serbia. Shortly after Tito’s death, 1981 to the Kosovo Albanians began to struggle to get the status of the Union for The Post-Soviet period it was turned into a bloody war. Both sides are a result of ethnic cleansing, they wanted to solve the problem in their favor. The War worsened presents a great danger to the public for the European course, Kosovo Albanians were not alone able to resist the Serbian army, but their military, financial and moral support was demonstrated Tirana.
Superpowers like the opportunity they could not use. First, Turkey tried to make a private advocacy in the region of its tried to restore Russia’s position, after all, the United States that could not miss the opportunity the former “Soviet” territory for spreading its influence: followed the NATO military strikes Serbia, contact zone UN peacekeeping forces deployment, long-term negotiations.

Thus, today the independence of Kosovo has become a reality.

Armenian society cannot stay indifferent over Kosovo cop, and not only because of their mission in Kosovo today are implementing the Armenian peacekeepers.
Yet the initial phase of the war in Kosovo, including Armenia and Azerbaijan was conducted the policy of double standards.

The problem is that the Armenian and Serbian peoples’ destinies are similar, and the apparent sympathy of the Armenian society was the Serbs’ side. In addition, Serbia’s advocacy positions to act Armenia’s main strategic ally of Russia.

Azerbaijan’s rating was not too sure: First, a strategic ally of Azerbaijan, Turkey (the U.S.) was made from the positions of the protection of Kosovo’s Albanians. Then, we think there was also a secondary circumstance of Islam, but Azerbaijan’s ruling elite had to adopt a more cautious attitude as the protection of the interests of Kosovo Albanians is “Whys” before it would stop Baku. Karabakh talks today that for Azerbaijan (as well as Russia and Georgia), the problem is urgent, and there is a fear that Kosovo’s independence could set a precedent and many new problems in the region.

Developing events in Kosovo, however, had a cold shower for Azerbaijan. Not many years ago Baku hoped that the ever NATO forces will be restored through Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, but today we can see that NATO forces in Kosovo Albanians guarantor of security and independence were. In other words, the NATO intervention in Yugoslavia led to the war in Kosovo de facto independence from Serbia to Azerbaijan and created a dangerous precedent.

But we should note that however, the problems of Kosovo and Nagorno-Karabakh, despite some similarities, also have significant differences. As mentioned earlier, Kosovo is historically a Serbian territory. Serbia has always been in the political and economic sphere of influence and has been an integral part. Whereas, Artsakh net Armenian territory, and is fighting to get the Armenian population of the restoration of historic justice. In addition, Artsakh only belonged to the Soviet times, Azerbaijan, Armenia and before that was an integral part, and Kosovo was not ever the independent or part of the Albanian state has made.

§ If the Kosovo Albanian population is incomer, Artsakh Armenians are native and are fighting for their historical homeland.

§ In case of the Kosovo war, Serbia and Albania change into armed clash between, while Armenia and Azerbaijan are in the undeclared war conditions.

§ Unlike official Yerevan, Tirana was initially very cautious about the issue of Kosovo, accused Serbia’s fear of interfering in internal affairs.

§ Artsakh and Armenia are quite integrated into the political and economic spheres, which is not available in case of Kosovo and Albania.

§ If Serbian war was a historic struggle for justice, Azerbaijan was just a conqueror.

§ Initially in Karabakh, Armenia is actively acted as a negotiator (sometimes as a conflict), the Albanian case is not so.

§ Artsakh struggle for national liberation was important, while for the Kosovo Albanians did not.

§ Kosovo Albanians, without outside intervention, were unable to withstand the pressure from Serbia, while Artsakh Armenians single victory in Azerbaijan against overwhelming forces.

§ Kosovo conflict turned into a great international conflict and gave rise to armed intervention in other countries, Artsakh case was quite different.

The list can be continued, but perhaps the most important thing for us is that really a precedent is created when the right to self-determination up to include any country’s territorial integrity principle, but less urgent today is not the question of how to use this situation: It seems that To use this situation to try to Artsakh and Kosovo represent a plane and just recognized the independence of Karabakh and Kosovo, but it is not easy at all.

What interests are on the Artsakh face when violation of the status-quo here, it seems, the draw is not favorable, and the final settlement of the Artsakh problem continually delayed by external intervention is more and more dependent on throw both Armenia, both Azerbaijan.

In other words, Kosovo prescription here does not help, and think. Karabakh yeast is still taking plenty of water …

Vahe ANTANESYAN