|
|
|
Published
by Media
Ecclesiastica,
November 7, 2005
Serbian Orthodox Church
warns of new Balkan tensions if Kosovo wins
independence
|
 |
 |
Serbia`s
Orthodox Christian Church warned Friday of new
tensions in the Balkans if the province of
Kosovo is granted independence at upcoming
U.N.-brokered talks.
Patriarch Pavle, the head of the Church, urged
the international community to abide in those
negotiations by "principles of justice as
the foundation of international law and
order."
Independence for Kosovo would mean "it is
possible to snatch away the territory of a
democratic country in Europe before the eyes of
the entire world," the Patriarch said in a
televised address.
"Such an act of highjacking, as veiled as
it would be, would still constitute occupation
of sovereign Serbian land," he said.
The Church`s warning, issued in a statement, and
the Patriarch`s television appeal reflected the
strongest support to date for the Serbian
government position that Kosovo must not be
split from Serbia, despite an independence drive
by most of its majority ethnic Albanian
population.
"A just solution can only be found through
negotiations," the church statement said.
"It (the solution) must not be one-sided
and imposed ... because that would lead to a
mass exodus of the population and fresh tensions
in the Balkans with unforeseeable
consequences."
Kosovo, formally a province in Serbia, has been
run by the United Nations and NATO since 1999,
when the Alliance bombed Serbia for 78 days to
force it to end a crackdown against ethnic
Albanian separatists. The U.N. Security Council
has approved the start of talks later this month
to determine the province`s future status.
Although it has had no authority over Kosovo for
more than six years, Belgrade is hoping to keep
at least formal control over the region, which
most Serbs consider the cradle of their history
and culture.
The Serbian Church, whose ancient seat and
hundreds of medieval monasteries are located in
Kosovo, has been a harsh critic of Western
policies in the province. The church said it has
a "vital interest" to protect its holy
places in Kosovo, and called for special
protection zones around Serb religious sites in
the province.
Dozens of Kosovo Serb religious monuments have
been destroyed by extremist ethnic Albanians,
most of whom are Muslims, since 1999. More than
200,000 Serbs and other non-Albanians fled the
province in the face of attacks and harassment,
AP reported. Source: Pravda
|
