Opinion

EUROPE’S KOSOVO CHALLENGE

Serbian protests against Kosovo’s recent declaration of independence took an ugly turn yesterday, as rioters stormed the US embassy in Belgrade in response to American recognition of the fledgling nation.

The rioters were quickly driven out, with only one apparent fatality. But the violence inspires little confidence that the former-Yugoslavia ethnic tinderbox can avoid another round of bloodletting.

At issue are the long-suffering ethnic Albanians who comprise some 90 percent of Kosovo’s population. They were the target of a brutal 1998-99 ethnic-cleansing campaign by then-Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, which only ended after a 76-day American-led NATO bombing campaign. Peace, such as it is, is maintained by NATO troops.

Make no mistake: Kosovo deserves its independence – which won quick recognition from Britain, France and Germany, as well as the United States.

Serbia, of course, begs to differ. Serbs still deem Kosovo the historic heartland of their country, and the Serbian minority in Kosovo wants no part of ethnic Albanian rule. And Serbian ally Russia is sure to block any attempt at formal UN recognition for Kosovo.

In other words, European powers had better be prepared to put their muscle where their mouths are if Kosovo is to avoid another spate of ethnic strife.

And we mean European: It may have taken US intervention to resolve the last Kosovo crisis, but Kosovo and Serbia are squarely in the European Union’s backyard – which means that Europe bears primary responsibility for securing a free and independent Kosovo.

If European support means anything in today’s world, that is.

We wish the Kosovars much luck.

They’re certainly going to need it.