EU and US order a “second wave of recognition” of Kosovo
Brussels and Washington have ordered a “second wave of recognition” of Kosovo’s secession, which has a goal of isolating Russia in the G-8 and “encircling” Serbia with neighbours which recognize Pristina’s move.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Thursday, March 20, 2008
One of the key reasons for rushing Japan, Canada, Bulgaria, Hungary and Croatia to recognize Kosovo can be found in the fact that the expected wave of recognition from Muslim countries never materialized, after Turkish diplomacy suffered a blow at the Dakar summit of the Organization of Islamic states last week, failing to fulfill Washington's demand to lobby for an avalance of recognitions.
This is why Washington and Brussels had to turn to an alternative plan.
The US and the EU members of the Contact Group (France, Italy, Germany and Great Britain) succeeded in pushing Japan and Canada to recognize the secession before the summit in July G-8 summit in Hokaido.
"The goal of the US and the EU was that Russia should find itself isolated within the G-8", Brussels sources say.
After the "G-8 package", it was the turn of the the "neighour package" to get activated, which resulted in a coordinated, practically collective recognition by Bulgaria, Hungary and Croatia on Wednesday.
The reasons why exactly these countries were chosen should not only be sought in the fact that these countries are not immune to pressure from Brussels, but also to messages which are being sent: Bulgaria is the first Orthodox country to recognize Kosovo, Hungary is a country which has a substantial Hungarian minority in Serbia, while Croatia has a substantial Serbian minority.
The message of Brussels and Washington to the "undecided" in the world is clear: if the "most powerful" and the "closest" can do it, you can do it too.
