Ashdown fears Kosovo catastrophe
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THE LIBERAL Democrat leader, Paddy Ashdown, warned yesterday that the international community had a maximum of "six weeks to two months" to find a solution to the war in Kosovo, where clashes between Serbs and Albanians are worsening by the day.
Following a five-day trip to the region, Mr Ashdown argued that failure to act could lead to a disastrous explosion of violence, where "the potential ramifications are huge".
His fact-finding trip included conversations with leading politicians in Albania and Macedonia, both of which border Kosovo. Mr Ashdown said the large Albanian population in Macedonia, in particular, was "increasingly radicalised".
On the Albanian-Kosovo border, Mr Ashdown watched a Serb mortar unit and heavy machine guns attacking "one farmhouse after another". He said that he saw no returning fire. He noted that the actions were in clear breach of commitments given to President Boris Yeltsin by President Slobodan Milosevic.
The Kosovo Albanians are clearly out-gunned. But they have made enormous advances, despite the lack of weapons, and small arms are in any case constantly smuggled in. Mr Ashdown described seeing one place that was "the Albanian equivalent of Safeways", with arms and ammunition, including weapons looted in last year's rioting, freely on sale. The price-tag for a Kalashnikov was said to be $10 (pounds 6).
Mr Ashdown argued that it was essential to "take steps to stop pan-Serb nationalism". Measures might include "sanctions, if you wish". But he made it clear that he believed the hanging threat of possible military action to be more effective. He noted that Serb positions shelling villages were "very open to air attack".
He argued, however, that the "danger of pan-Albanian nationalism" was also real. He said he opposed full independence - as opposed to enhanced autonomy - for Kosovo. "If independence happens, Macedonia blows up." And he suggested that the new strength of the guerrilla Kosovo Liberation Army, which now holds large swathes of territory in Kosovo, meant it would be difficult to dictate terms.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments