Serbia drops UN challenge to Kosovo independence and its relevance to Catalonia

English newspaper "The Guardian" informs us that Serbia has agreed to make last minute U-turn in its wish to reverse, question or invalidate Kosovo's independence at the United Nations. The debate had to take place at the UN general assembly on September 9th but Serbians dropped the challenge only hours before the hearing.

Serbia, then, bowed to pressure from European and US diplomacy, clearing the way for a settlement between Belgrade and Kosovo leadership and the Serbians joining the EU, which would have been compromised should Serbia had kept the challenge to Kosovo's independence. Catherine Ashton, the EU's foreign policy chief, pressed Serbian President Boris Tadic to agree on a "last-chance" formula acceptable to the rest of Europe. Joe Biden, US vice-president, reinforced the message.

Kosovo declared unilateral independence from Serbia in 2008, which has not recognized the new State. Since then, Serbia lost a case at the International Court of Justice that ruled the secession did not breach international law.

The ruling by the ICJ and the intercession of the EU and the US, to stop Serbians from invalidating the independence of its former Republic, will be very useful to Catalonia when we declare our independence. We have now the precedent of the most influent international diplomacies mediating and negotiating for the recently formed European State, not the former, Serbia. It will certainly break mental schemes of a lot of people, always scared to take the step for freedom and independence, probably due to so many years of having to bow in front of the oppressor Spain and France.

Europe and the US show us that the modern day diplomacy may help the new democratic countries, if they make themselves interesting to the World powers. Catalonia must work towards establishing international networks and lobbies throughout the world, especially US, Europe and Israel. And it has to be made soon, because Catalonia will be the next State in Europe.

Jordi Margalef Turull
Catalunya Acció UK

Information taken from "The Guardian". Click here to read original article.