Serbia and Kosovo

INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE (FRANCE), LETTERS, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2006

The news article "Serbia revives Milosevic-era policies over Kosovo" (Sept. 19): As a sovereign nation, Serbia has the right to integrity of its borders. Kosovars don't have the legal right to separate - just as the Basques and the Kurds, to name just two minorities, do not have that right.

What makes the situation even worse is the position of the Serb minority in Kosovo. Half of them have already been purged. Many of the rest live under a threat of violence. By being careful they can avoid being killed. But regular robberies, destruction of property and discrimination make a permanent stay impossible.

For that reason, most of Kosovo's remaining Serbs plan to leave the province if it becomes independent. Seven years of UN rule have not been able to change this climate. So asking Serbia to concede Kosovo independence comes down to asking Serbia to cooperate with the purge of the remaining Serbs in Kosovo. A rather difficult position.

Wim Roffel, Leiden, Netherlands