Kosovo Status

United Nations envoy Martti Ahtisaari has taken on a difficult mission. Its success -- with Serbs and Albanians heavily entrenched in their positions -- is highly uncertain. Ahtisaari's visit to Belgrade was made even more explosive when Serbian Prime Minister Vojsilav Kostunica refused to meet with him -- supposedly because he is in the midst of a complicated process of building a new government.

At the same time, Kostunica is threatening to break off diplomatic relations with those countries that want to recognize Kosovo. In this precarious moment, Kostuncia seems to be trying to shun political responsibility.

The EU has been implying for months that the Kosovo proposal could lead to independence, even if drastically limited, yet Kostunica has so far lacked courage to prepare the Serbian population for the possible loss of the province.

Kosovo Albanians, on the other hand, are increasing the pressure on the West by postulating unlimited independence as something non-negotiable. This is only hiking up the expectations of the population. Over the past few years, Kosovo Albanians have learned that the West is backing away from its political demands and giving in to riots and violence.

After the massive riots three years ago, the EU gave up its postulate "standards before status." The EU is no longer demanding that the democratic rules of engagement be established and minorities protected before the status is determined. Since violence was rewarded with political concessions, one can possibly expect a new escalation of violence if all the demands of Kosovo Albanians are not met. The international peace/keeping troops have been placed on heightened alert.

The EU is in a tight spot. It must find a face-saving solution for both parties that everybody would support. That is why the word "independence" has not been in circulation for days. On the other hand, Serbia's sovereignty is also not mentioned any more.

The only way out of this dilemma lies in the clear EU accession perspectives for the Serbs and the Albanians. Both conflicting parties know that their economic and political development is coupled with EU membership and that they have to rely on the EU. It must be made clear to both the Serbs and the Albanians that it is paradoxical for them to insist on sovereignty when they will sooner or later give up parts of that sovereignty to the EU. They have to understand that at the very least that's why the use of violence is not worth it.

For the European Union, Kosovo is an elementary challenge: The EU has to manage this conflict successfully if it is to show that it is capable of a uniform foreign policy.

Verica Spasovska is head of DW-RADIO's program for central and southeastern Europe (tt).