U.S., Russia may swap Kosovo for Transdniester in "Great Agreement"

British professor Mark Almond is a Balkans expert as well as a writer and Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford

LONDON (Tiraspol Times) - In the opinion of a British professor and Balkan expert, Mark Almond, one of the possible solutions to the Kosovo issue involves a "Great Agreement" between the U.S. and Russia on all unresolved separatist issues.

Such a deal would involve Russia agreeing to hold its nose over Kosovo independence, with the United States and its allies promising to look the other way while the people of Pridnestrovie and some other unrecognized countries in the post-Soviet space exercise their right to self determination.

The professor, who teaches modern history at Oriel College at Oxford University, is a Balkans specialist who has written extensively on Serbia, Kosovo and the history of the regions. He identifies several potential solutions to the Kosovo problem, including a so-called great agreement between the U.S. and Russia on all unresolved separatist issues.

He added that another would be maintaining the status quo, while a third would involve the West unilaterally recognizing an independent Kosovo, which would directly lead to a proclamation of independence by the north of Kosovo, thus complicating the position of the western countries even further.

" - Therefore, the current unsatisfactory situation is, in some way, at least from the West’s point of view, the least painful option. Whether the Serbs and the Kosovo Albanians feel the same way is another matter," reflected Almond.

For Putin, Kosovo and Transdniester deserve equal rights

In an interview in June, Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear that he wanted a universal approach to Kosovo status resolution. It should apply to Transdniester and other unrecognized countries on the post-Soviet space, said the Russian President. He pointed out that for more than 15 years, these areas have functioned in all practical effects as separate, already-independent countries.

Pridnestrovie, which is also known under names such as Transdniester and Transnistria, declared independence in 1990, eight years before a NATO bombing campaign freed Kosovo from Serb rule. Like Kosovo, Pridnestrovie also seeks international recognition and diplomatic relations as a sovereign, independent state.

Unlike Kosovo, Pridnestrovie is already 'de facto' sovereign with its own President, Parliament, Constitution, military and police force, passports, Supreme Court and a Central Bank which prints its own currency, the PMR Ruble. Pridnestrovie is not a United Nations protectorate and unlike Kosovo, there are no UN appointees with veto rights over laws passed by the local parliament.

For the past 17 years, Moldova has been unable to exercise sovereignty over the territory which declared independence one year before the current Republic of Moldova became a country (see related story).

Analysts highlight another difference between Moldova and Serbia, and between its two breakaway regions Pridnestrovie and Kosovo: Pridnestrovie was never part of Moldova at any time in history, much less the cradle of the Moldovan nation. This explains why Moldova appears to have already given up on hopes of retaining Pridnestrovie, whereas Serbia has been intensifying its recent resolve for keeping Kosovo within its borders.

" - I must say that the Americans and Europeans have been surprised by Koštunica and Tadić’s united front," Almond said, referring to the unity demonstrated by Serbia's President Tadić and Prime Minister Koštunica, "not to mention the overall Serbian political scene vis-à-vis Kosovo. That unity, allied with the threat of a Russian or Chinese veto, has led to the current round of talks and, at the very least, the delay of what NATO and the EU had been expecting,” he added. (With information from Beta, AP)

See also:
» Transdniester and Kosovo should be treated the same, says Putin
» Kosovo independence gives equal rights to Pridnestrovie; other unrecognized countries
» Vladimir Putin: "Kosovo is not any different from Trans-Dniester"

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