Who cares about what Kosovars think?

Delegations meet in Vienna

The Kosovar and Serbian delegations met today in the first face-to-face talks which ended inconclusively. "Both sides appeared stiff in manner today as they were led to opposite sides of a u-shaped table in room 13 of the Niederösterreich Palace." "Despite the rigid positions taken by both sides, there is a sense here of this being a significant moment, although one induced by international officials." (NYT). The gap still remains unbridged .

"Independence is the alpha and omega, the beginning and end of our position," Kosovo's president, Fatmir Sejdiu, told the meeting. Vojislav Kostunica, the Serbian prime minister, flatly rejected independence. Serbia's intransingence was noted today in an editorial on the Washington Post.


Self-Determination protester

I must say this is a very special moment. This is the first time that anyone is asking the people of Kosova about their opinion on their future. This is the first time Kosovars formally present their stance on what the status of their land should be. A formal request for independence. The conference at Rambouillet, was also a forum where Kosova Albanians presented their arguments, however that conference was organized with the aim of stopping the war primarily. So, again this is a special day in Kosova's history!


Kosova Albanian refugees in 1999

In the meantime, hundreds of Kosovar citizens protested today in Prishtina against the Vienna talks, saying that there is nothing to be negotiated with Serbia, because of the crimes it has committed in Kosova. The protest was organized by the Self-Determination movement.