By Vojin Joksimovich | Germany says that Serbia must come to terms with its amputation. But the dismemberment of Serbia doesn’t appear to be over until Serbia is reduced to a region envisioned by Hitler.

Westerwelle’s Belgrade Visit

German foreign minister and vice chancellor, Guido Westerwelle, came to Belgrade on August the 26th, to lecture the Serbian government and the Serbian parliamentary parties with a pompous and an arrogant slogan that the address is EU (Brussels) not the UN (New York). In addition he delivered the ultimatum that the Southeast Europe map is cast in concrete and that Serbia must come to terms with its amputation if she wants to pursue what I perceive to be unreal EU membership. While in Pristina Westerwelle called on five EU nations, which have not yet recognized the independence of Kosovo to follow the “clear majority” of the EU.

The former Serbian PM Vojislav Kostunica reacted with this statement: “The manner in which the EU is treating Serbia, and the statement made in Belgrade that Serbia’s border has been violently changed and that this is a reality that must be accepted, represents an essential endangering of our state interests and crude disdain for the state of Serbia.” In addition he said: “By forcing Serbia to establish good neighborly relations with the fake state of Kosovo, the EU shows that its real goal is not to have Serbia as its member for many years to come. A state that renounces a part of its territory cannot deserve anyone’s respect, not even that of the EU, but can only be permanently underestimated and humiliated.”

Herr Westerwelle is the leader of German Free Democrats, who in coalition with the Frau Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats rule Germany since the September 2009 elections. The Free Documents got 15% of the vote. However, their popularity has plummeted since to 6%. Nadja Irena Fisic, a Croatian journalist, informed us that Herr Westerweller declared himself homosexual six years ago and that he travels with his partner even on the state business presenting the hosts with protocol problems as exemplified with his visits to Japan and China. In Japan his partner, Michael Mrontz, was treated like the wives of foreign dignitaries’. However, he didn’t bring Mr. Mrontz on this Balkans tour because of perception that gays wouldn’t be welcome there. Westerweller made the history as the first homosexual to serve as the foreign minister.

Historical Inheritance

Most of my American friends believe that history belongs to the past and being over. On the other hand they talk a great deal about the war of independence, the Civil War, racial discrimination, Alamo, etc. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice used to say that Serbia has to move beyond 1389. Some of them pointed out to me that Serbia had lost Kosovo in 1389 and regained it in 1912 but populated with the Albanian majority. To counter that argument, I would point out that the Jews lost Jerusalem, the cradle of their civilization, in 638 but regained it in 1948.

With my background, born, raised and educated in Serbia, I represent the view that the past is highly relevant to the present. This is in particular true for Serbia. Aleksandra Rebic wrote: “Serbia and her people seem to live in a constant state of Deja Vu.” Hence, I was unable to ignore the fact that Serbia was a major victim of the German Balkan imperialism in the previous century and that Great Britain didn’t do much to help Serbia despite being an ally in both WWI and WWII. A brief history lesson precedes an analysis of the impact of Westerwelle visit leading to in all likelihood to loss of Kosovo for Serbia.

Germany as Balkans Predator

Germany went to war with Serbia three times in the previous century: WWI (1914-1918), WWII (1941-1945) and the 1999 NATO 78-day incessant bombing of Serbia with German participation. Vienna’s Serbophobia, supported by Germany, led to WWI, a fatal conflict that destroyed much of Europe. Serbophobia led Hitler to order pulverization of Serbia with “merciless brutality.” Even before these wars Germany initiated expansionism into the Balkans in order to establish its hegemony.

The 1878 Berlin Congress was the meeting of European plus Ottoman Empire’s leading statesmen chaired by the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. The principal mission was to deal a mortal blow to the movement of pan-Slavism led by Russian expansion to the south. The objective was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans in the wake of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. Bowing to Russia’s pressure the Congress formally recognized the independence of the de facto sovereign states of Rumania, Serbia and Montenegro, as the 27th-29th free states of the world. The 1878 map of small Serbia without Kosovo is of interest even today. 

The German Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, a grandson of Queen Victoria, as a part of German expansionism wanted to build a railway from Berlin to Constantinople, eventually terminating in Baghdad, with an extension to the Persian Gulf. This great engineering feat began in 1903 but obstacles in the way of intervening mountain ranges in eastern Turkey led to slow progress with no completion before WWI erupted in 1914. Serbia, victorious in both Balkan wars 1912-1913, almost doubled its territory. Kosovo was internationally recognized as a part of Serbia at the Treaty of London in 1913.

Both Vienna and Berlin were alarmed and decided that Serbia had to be crushed leading to WWI. Serbia was victorious again after losing about 1.1 million people or 27% of the total population, 52% of its adult male population. In 1918 Serbia became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, in 1929 named Yugoslavia. For multiple of reasons this was a catastrophic decision on part of the Serbian leadership.

Hitler's map of the Balkans

On March 25, 1941, Yugoslavia signed the protocol of adherence with the Hitler-Mussolini Axis thus avoiding the war with Germany and Italy. Two days later, British inspired military coup in Belgrade overthrew the government. This was the second biggest mistake made by the Serbian leaders after entering Yugoslavia in 1918 costing the Serbs another approximately million lives. Hitler issued orders to pulverize Yugoslavia “with merciless brutality.” Yugoslavia was dismembered among the Third Reich, Italy, and neighboring Nazi allies. All territorial demands by the neighboring countries were honored at the expense of the parts of Yugoslavia inhabited by Serbs. Hitler’s formula for imposing hegemony in Yugoslavia was to side with the Croats against the Serbs, Bosnian Muslims against the Serbs, and the Albanians against the Serbs. This formula was essentially replicated by the U.S. led NATO in the 1990s. What remained of Serbia in WWII was placed under Germany rule (see attached map). This small Serbia, known as Nedic’s Serbia, resembles the 1878 map of Serbia and again is relevant today.

As soon as Germany was reunified it had started flexing muscles with a decision to assist secessions of Croatia and Slovenia and thus dismembering Yugoslavia in 1991. Tito’s administrative borders of Yugoslavia’s six republics became international borders cutting the Serbs in Croatia and Bosnia from the Serbs in Serbia resulting in the civil/religious wars in Croatia and Bosnia. Every ethnicity in Yugoslavia had a right of self-determination other than the Serbs. The Versailles Treaty at the conclusion of WWI was a thorn in the eye not only to Adolf Hitler but also to the re-unified Germany. Former German foreign minister, Hans Dietrich-Genscher, wrote in his memoirs that by the end of the wars in Former Yugoslavia, we Germans have repaired the deeds or consequences of WWI: the foundation of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and the end of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Hence, the U.S. Balkan policies, including siding with the Bosnian Muslims, have helped Germany win WWI and partly WWII.

Having successfully dismembered Yugoslavia, NATO (primarily the U.S. and Germany) decided to start dismembering Serbia by backing the Albanian narco-terrorists in Kosovo, the cradle of the Serbian civilization, the bombing of Serbia and the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state. Dismemberment of Serbia doesn’t appear to be over yet. Vojvodina and Sandzak are likely to be next until Serbia is reduced to its 1878 or 1941 size.

Pathetic Serbian Response to Westervelle

The Serbian president Tadic had an opportunity to thank Mr.Westervelle for his efforts, lectures included, and tell him that as far as Serbia is concerned the relevant institution is the UN, its Security Council and its Resolution #1244, which explicitly defines the Kosovo status as that within Serbia with substantial autonomy for Kosovo. In addition, if the EU continues to bully Serbia regarding recognition the faked state of Kosovo, in order to satisfy the western quintet of the U.S., Germany, UK, France and Italy, Serbia would lose interest to join the EU and will look for alternatives like an association with the BRIC countries as I have advocated for some time. The last time in my blog Is President Tadic Serious about the Future of Serbia.

Needless to say Tadic said none of that and instead reiterated that Serbia’s future is in the EU and that Serbia seeks the EU’s help to arrange a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Tadic was elected with the support from Washington and Brussels and continues to play a role of a vassal. `He has no guts to standup for the rights of the Serbian people, and the Kosovo Serbs in particular, like Milorad Dodik does in Republika Srpska. Dodik has successfully opposed creation of centralized Bosnia, attempted to be imposed by so called international community and their viceroys such as Paddy Ashdown. Subsequently, it has been reported that Tadic expressed willingness to recognize Kosovo if three conditions are met: a) Extraterritoriality of Serbian churches and monasteries; b) Special status of the Serbs living south of the Ibar river; and c) Status-quo for the Serbs living in the north. A rumor in Belgrade suggests that the Kosovo handover would take place after the Serbian 2012 elections. While this may be only a trial balloon it is unsettling that it came during the Westervelle visit.

Capitulation by Serbia

Moreover, Tadic yielded to the EU/U.S. pressure to enter into talks with the EU and the U.S. on ways to redefine the Serbian UN Kosovo resolution scheduled for a September 9 debate at the UN General Assembly. The Serbian resolution requested from the UN not to support the secession and to encourage a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina instead. The EU was obviously concerned that the original Serbian resolution might be voted in and demanded that a joint resolution be submitted. Tadic explained that Serbia is ready to discuss changes in the resolution but will never recognize Kosovo. “This is a red line that we will never cross.” Subsequently he said that he told Westervelle, Hillary Clinton, Nikolas Sarkozy, Angela Merkel, and others the same thing.

William Hague in Belgrade

The next visitor to Belgrade was the British foreign secretary William Hague. His primary message was that Serbia should withdraw the UN resolution. In view of the fact that that UK almost invariably follows the U.S. policies it could be concluded that he carried the message from Washington as well. The British ambassador to Belgrade, Stephen Wordsworth, threatened with isolation if Serbia continues to ignore the EU and does “what it wants.” Furthermore, he stated “The key to fast negotiations for EU association today is in 100% dedication, cooperation and investment, and everyone who is not prepared should not apply for membership.”

Historically, the UK was no more than a nominal ally of Serbia in WWI and WWII. Serbia didn’t get much help from Britain in WWI. Britain opposed formation of the Salonika front in which six Serbian and two French divisions terminated the war on the Eastern front by defeating the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany and Bulgaria. In WWII, Britain pushed the Serbs to confront the Nazis, provided essentially no military support to General Mihailovic’s royalists and in 1943 betrayed them in favor of the communist dictator Tito.

According to Tony Blair’s memoirs he was the key to the 1999 NATO 78-day bombing of Serbia. He even advocated the use of ground troops. He goes as far as saying that Kosovo defined his vision of foreign affairs and military interventions in general. He regrets that NATO bombed an Albanian convoy but expressed no regrets for suffering of the Serbian victims. He doesn’t even have regrets for contributing to existence of a million Iraqi widows. In Ireland the Republican Sinn Fein representative declared that the “British war criminal is not welcome.” “His legacy of invasion, occupation and subjugation reaches from Ireland to Iraq and Afghanistan.” However, Blair and his wife are more than welcome in Tirana and Pristina. 

Hague might have something in common with Westerwelle. He was accused of having “inappropriate” relations with his 25-year old aide Christopher Myers, who had to step down from his post.

ICG Re-Emerges Again

The International Crisis Group (ICG) is back in the business offering recipes for resolving the standoff between Pristina and Belgrade. In its August 26 report it calls on both sides to enter negotiations on normalizing ties and suggested that a swap of North Kosovo for parts of Presevo Valley was a conceivable solution. The Albanians have rejected the suggestion, saying Kosovo’s integrity was guaranteed and that “there will be no territory swap.” The Serbs responded that the northern Kosovo is already under “de facto and de jure control of the Serbian community, and there is no reason to contemplate any exchanges.” Nonetheless, the ICG believes that Belgrade and Pristina are ready to make some kind of a deal.

The ICJ is a globalist New World Order think tank founded by Morton Abramowitz, an influential figure in the Council of Foreign Relations and adviser to leading Serb haters in the Clinton administration —such as Albright and Holbrooke. The ICG has been funded by Soros, among others, and has been championing Albanian separatism for years. Marti Ahtisaari, appointed by the UN Secretary General as his special envoy for Kosovo, was the chairman of the ICG Board. Finnish News Agency published two articles alleging that Ahtisaari was “bought” by the Albanian mafia. Nonetheless this was hushed up and Ahtisaari was even awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his tireless efforts as a Kosovo mediator.

Redefinition of UN Resolution

Belgrade’s Politika suggested that Spain drafted a compromise resolution between those EU members supporting and opposing the Kosovo independence. Tadic went to Brussels for a two-hour session with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, British Baroness Catherine Ashton. The next day the Serbian resolution was redefined and became a joint resolution with the 27 EU countries. As such it was accepted by the UN General Assembly without a vote.

Serbia redefined the text calling Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence unacceptable. Instead it acknowledged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling (see my blog ICJ Ruling: Rape of Serbia and International Law). According to Jeremic, the Serbian foreign minister, the redefinition closes the ICJ process before and calls for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina with the EU offering mediation services. The dialogue process represents the factor of peace, security and stability in the region and is aimed at achieving progress on the road to EU membership. Tadic emphasizes that in no way it recognizes the Kosovo secession as it refers to the UN Charter. This certainly is not the Albanian interpretation. The Albanian foreign minister stated that the resolution closes the issue of the Kosovo independence within the existing borders, Albanians welcome negotiations on practical issues but excluding the key status issue.

The process of transferring the Kosovo issue from the UN to the EU is yet another bad development for Serbia in addition to accepting the EULEX mission two years ago despite the Russian advice to the contrary given the position of the western quintet on the independence issue. For Serbia the best outcome of the UN debate would have been that the ICJ ruling didn’t address the secession issue and that the case should be returned to the UN Security Council.

The Serbian opposition leaders accused the Tadic’s administration for selling out the Serbian interests and demand early reactions. Kostunica said that the resolution “has inflicted great evil and shame for Serbia.” Furthermore he stated that the Tadic administration will make history by being the first and the only one doing its best to lose Kosovo. “The government is a silent accomplice in the creation of the independent state of Kosovo.”

Conclusion

Germany, in addition to being the EU economic powerhouse, illustrated with expansion of 9% in the 2010 second quarter compared to 1.6% for the U.S, has used its economic muscles to selectively run the EU foreign affairs without the consensus, which used to be the EU’s modus operandi. Maybe, the EU has already evolved into the Fourth Reich!

Germany co-orchestrated Kosovo’s independence. Hence, we are witnessing yet another German triumph with its hegemony imposed in the Balkans again. A strategically important part of the world is about to become a German colony. At the same time we are witnessing the third of the worst Serbian calamities apart from the 1918 entry into Yugoslavia and the 1941 challenge to Nazi Germany. In earlier communications with Jurgen Elsasser, a German author of several books on the Former Yugoslavia, he told me that the German policy is to let the U.S. win wars and for Germany to win peace. He seemed to be right on the mark.

Act of bowing to the German/UK threats amounted to act of capitulation of handing over the state and national interests as Vojislav Kostunica has pointed out. Tadic’s doctrine of no alternative to joining the EU led to this act of capitulation in violation of the Serbian constitution. Kosovo is all but lost for Serbia unless there is a change of government in Belgrade.

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