Bush insists Kosovo must be independent and receives hero’s welcome in
Albania

· Thousands pay tribute to US president in Tirana
· Putin refuses to withdraw backing for Serbs at UN

Ian Traynor, Europe editor and agencies in Tirana
Monday June 11, 2007
The Guardian

George Bush declared yesterday that he had made up his mind that Kosovo
should be an independent country, throwing down the gauntlet to Russia
and challenging President Vladimir Putin to abandon attempts to block
the path to statehood at the UN security council.
On the first visit by a US president to Albania, Mr Bush focused on the
fate of the majority ethnic Albanians across the border in Kosovo and
voiced impatience at Russian and Serbian blocking tactics, which are
holding up a vote on the issue at the security council.

The US was working hard to reach an international agreement on Kosovo,
he said. "Independence is the goal. That’s what the people of Kosovo
need to know. If it is apparent that is not going to happen in a
relatively quick period of time, in my judgment, we need to put forward
the resolution. Hence, deadline."
If the deadlock continues, western analysts say, Washington could
encourage Kosovo to declare independence, afford it diplomatic
recognition, and encourage others to follow. That would divide Europe
and be very messy, possibly violent.

Thousands gathered in Tirana yesterday to welcome Mr Bush. Cannons
fired a 21-gun salute and huge banners and billboards proclaimed "proud
to be partners" and "President Bush in Albania making history". Red,
white and blue top hats were passed out to well-wishers.

Bush was dogged by hostile protesters in Italy and Germany earlier in
his eight-day tour of Europe, but clearly felt totally at ease in
Albania. Its people reserve special affection for America, which they
credit not only with ending their cold war isolation but also for
leading Nato in 1999 to rescue the Albanians of Kosovo from ethnic
cleansing by Serbia under Slobodan Milosevic.

Many Albanians had been hoping for Mr Bush to give a boost to the
Kosovan push for independence. Settlement terms drawn up by the special
UN envoy, Martti Ahtisaari, have been with the security council since
March following more than a year of fruitless negotiations between the
Serbian government and the Kosovan Albanian leadership.

Western leaders are keen to resolve the crisis but cannot agree a
formula with Moscow, which backs Serbia’s argument that Kosovan
independence would strip it of 15% of its territory and flout
international law, as well as creating a dangerous precedent for
secessionists worldwide.

The west argues that Kosovan independence offers the sole prospect of
stability and progress in the Balkans and that the establishment of the
new state is merely the last act in the protracted drama of the
disintegration of Yugoslavia.

"Sooner rather than later you’ve got to say enough’s enough. Kosovo’s
independent," Mr Bush announced at a press conference in Tirana, the
Albanian capital.

But his pressure for a quick decision was countered at the weekend by
Mr Putin, who emphasised that there was no change in Moscow’s
pro-Serbian position.

Western officials are exasperated by the Russian refusal to countenance
independence and are worried that the fragile peace in the
UN-administered province could collapse, with Albanians going on the
rampage and enacting anti-Serbian pogroms if the status issue remains
unresolved.

But Russia is proposing to circumvent the Ahtisaari plan through new
talks between the Serbs and Kosovan Albanians. Last week the French
president, Nicolas Sarkozy, surprised western officials by suggesting a
further six months of negotiations, albeit aimed at Kosovo independence.

"The question is whether or not there’s going to be endless dialogue on
a subject that we have made up our mind about," said Mr Bush yesterday,
before flying on to Bulgaria. "We believe Kosovo ought to be
independent … I’m worried about expectations not being met in Kosovo
and therefore we’ll push the process."

The outcome of any further negotiations had to be "certain
independence".

The crunch point may come within weeks – President Putin is to be a
guest at George Bush Sr’s family home in Kennebunkport, Maine, early
next month.