Kosova

My favorite Kosovar sent me a link to a more detailed summary of the Kosovo plan than I'd seen on the BBC. It's here if you'd like to read it.

Here's what I wrote back to him as a reaction:

You know, I saw this plan summarized on the BBC and sort of went "what the heck?" I don't really understand how you can be a state and not a state, even more than you already are. Plus, you just wouldn't fit into the Westphalian system and it creates two classes of states.

I wonder the extent to which this mirrors (if at all) the UN mandate in Timor L'este? Is this precedented? It also reminds me of Iraq, but at least there we try to pretend that the international community isn't running the place.

I also don't know if Kosovo has any other choice; I doubt that full independence could happen now and having the world pretend you're a state has got to be better than them pretending that you're not a state. At least that way you can get a passport.

Finally (and sorry that this is sort of a stream of consciousness as I react to the more detailed plan that you linked), I wonder if it isn't awful to have the EU so fully involved in helping develop your country and creating institutions (and, again, the way that the UN did in East Timor). It reminds me of the way that the organization tried to reshape Eastern Europe in its own image after the end of the Cold War. If you're being groomed for membership, then it might be a very good thing.

Still, I'm glad he might finally get a country and a passport, if the Serbian government decides to stop being total pricks. He's certainly been waiting long enough. Yay, Baaaa!