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KOSOVO: THE NEXT FLASHPOINT Z.V. Klimenko Institute for Comparative Politilogy Lbf & Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 1996
The
problem I would like to touch has remained partly in the shadow of the work of
our conference and has not been considered in the papers presented. I mean the
problem of Kosovo - possible nearest future of Yugoslavian crisis. As it’s
been long ago pointed out, each of Yugoslavian peoples has its own myth,
defining its self-consciousness and its attitude to the neighbors in now already
former Yugoslavia. The paradox is that the myths of some peoples are being
transformed into ideology and at least turned into real policy, while myths of
others not only have no real frames, but are deprived of the right on
existence. One may include in the latter ones the Kosovo myth - one of the
defining factors of the Serb national consciousness. Now there
is no possibility to talk on the sources of the Kosovo problem, its character
in socialist Yugoslavia. This is a theme for a special large report. I would
like just to draw your attention to some moments, appearing in connection with
the setting of question of the separation of Kosovo. If one
starts thinking on the reluctance of the Serb authorities to settle Kosovo
problem in the way that is expected by the world community, economic and geo -
political explanations will not be sufficient. What is now Kosovo like? This is
the least developed in economical respect region, 90 percent of population of
which - are the Albanians. The level of unemployment is extremely high, and
there is no way out to the seashore. Large investments of capital, that are not
possible for Yugoslavia, are needed to use fully fertility of the Kosovo soils.
That’s why one is ready to see just “Great Serb aspirations” of the present
Yugoslavian leadership in the willingness to keep Kosovo. But,
obviously, something more important is hidden here. E.Yu.Guskova has touched
the theme of historical memory of the Serb people, its influence on its
position on such and such questions. I will not make a long talk saying that
Kosovo is the cradle of the Serb state system, that the greatest Serb Orthodox
sacred things are concentrated there. All of this is known and needs no further
explanation. But Kosovo (better to say, the myth, appeared around it) was that
unquenchable icon - lamp that gave light to the Serbs in the heaviest periods
of the Osman rule, that pivot, that defined the look on the world of every
Serb. Return of Kosovo to Serbia was realization of centuries - old aspirations
of the Serb people. That’s why
now the approach to Kosovo is characterized by the following slogans:” The
future of Yugoslavia is being settled on Kosovo!”; “Without Bosnia and
Herzegovina Yugoslavia can exist, but without Kosovo - never!”; “There are neither
Serbia nor Serbs without Kosovo!” and the like. As it has
been said, the Serbs now are endlessly alone, they have nobody to lean on. And
if press on them is successful, if Kosovo is separated from them, and people
exhausted by the sanctions acquiesces in that passively, as it agreed to the
loss of many Serb lands - won’t we see totally different people, people with
half - destroyed self - consciousness? And as soon
as one poses a question on separation, doubts appear: is the final goal of
particular forces not only the weakening, politically and economically, of the
Serb people, but also the change of its political spirit in order to make it
impossible to think on any revenge? Possibly, it could be not realized, but
desired goal. Having deprived the Serbs of Kosovo - that is materialization of their historical memory,- they will be turned into the people without national ideals, that is without past and people without national aspirations, that is - without future. Back to Moscow Conference Back to Home Page
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