Kosovo Remains in Limbo

The talks have largely stalled and Kosovo's future hangs in the balance. Though plans have been in the work for some time to transition Kosovo to independent rule, Serbia, who holds official sovereignty over the province, has thus far refused to brook any such recommendations. Russia, Serbia's chief backer, however, has called for a new "road map" for the Albanian province. Russia maintains that were Kosovo to leave Serbia, the result would be an "uncontrollable crisis." To that end, Russia has proposed extending talks on Kosovo.

On the other side, EU mediators have said that the talks have failed and have all but urged independence for Kosovo. This proposition is opposed not just by Russia and Serbia, however, but also by EU member-states Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia and Romania. Slovenia, a state with strong economic ties to Serbia, takes over rotating EU presidency next month and insists its bargaining posture will be strong as "Slovenia has excellent cooperation with Serbia, also Kosovo, with all former Yugoslav republics." The status of Kosovo after the breakup of Yugoslavia fueled bitter ethnic war within the Balkans in the 1990s.

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