Canada will recognize Kosovo (and soon I hope). But it does make me wonder how much longer the Quebecois will resist the temptation to achieve self-determination and how much longer Canada can hold them back. I really can't imagine what the advantages of independence are for the Kosovars, well, other than freedom from ethnic-based repression. But, how will the state operate? Is there state infrastucture ready? How do they deal with the Serb minority? How balkanized can the balkans get? What about integration and synthesis and cooperation?

I too remember seeing a few Kosovars on the streets of Charlottetown. Interestingly, many of the former Yugoslavians that came here have stayed but the 1 or 2 families of Kosovars refugees in PEI actually went back home when things settled down.

"group" project???

I cannot imagine that the recognition of Kosovo as a soverign entity will do anything to give more than a temporary bump, if that, in support for Quebec sovereignists. If it did, it would only be the resparked support of a small percentage of soverignists that have fallen off the wagon, into the tire rutter mire of apathy that years of failed attempts at a referendum driven coup d'etat.

Durn lack of onboard Firefox driven spellcheck when I am not at home

Hans: the internets ain't what they used to be.

Why, I remember, back in the old days, a group project would attract 70 maybe even, 80 replies. Those were good times....

Well, there certainly was volume but I can only eat so much plastic fruit.

I hope that Canada will follow its allies in recognizing Kosovo as an Independent State. First off, the comparison between Quebec and Kosovo should not be made. These are two very different situations. As we all know Quebec held two referendums that they were allowed to have. On the other hand in 1990 when Kosovo wanted to seperate, they were not allowed a referundem from the Serbian government. This in itself shows the autocratic government of Serbia. Also it is very important to note that history (and we do study history for reasons such as these) shows that Albanians were in the Balkans first known as Illyrians. Serbians officially came from the Carpathian Mountains, and occupied the nations in the Balkans. Another point is, here in Ottawa we do not cross the bridge into Qeuebec and bomb Quebeqois, keep them from speaking french or committe atrocities. This are the facts for Albanian people, they were not allowed to speak their language, they were not given rights in the government (which we all know in the Candian Parliament both English and French is spoken) while in serbia this is not th case. Only one language was present and that is Serbian. Therfore, recognizing Kosovo as an Independent state is the right move for Canada as well as the world, it is Human Rights.

I will change the question a bit, since it is harder to speculate. I think Canada SHOULD NOT recognize Kosovo. Why? If you do a little bit of research, you will find that both Serbs and Albanians have fought each other (yes, unlike the media says, Albanians were armed rebels/terrorists, resulting in tough measures imposed by Serbs). So the fighting was going on until intervention by NATO, whereby they sided with Albanian rebels/terrorists, and expelled the Serbs from Kosovo. Now, Kosovo is monoethnic country, created through 'expulsion, ethnic cleansing of Serbs and Roma'. It is run by former rebels/terrorists, and some of these committed great crimes against Serbs (research who lead ethnic cleansing of Medak Pocket in Croatia).

So there are two things here: if Canada recognizes a state like Kosovo, it is recognizing a state built upon ethnic cleansing, violence, rebellion, terrorism. It gives the WRONG message to the world, and Quebec (perhaps Quebec can then start a killing spree of English-speakers?). So just consider the circumstances, and you'd see that Canada should really not recognize Kosovo.

Secondly, what about international law? States are supposed to have territorial integrity. Recognition violates many points of international law (resolution 1244, Helsinki Act, UN Charter), but if we start recognizing states based on ethnic groups, why can't we than create little states all over the world? How about creating a little China in Vancouver? Or giving the Northern Canada to Inuit peoples?

This is a reply to marinko`s fake comment and just a correction regarding the situation, it is true that the the KLA were armed guerilla members, but they were not terrorists, they actually fought against the serb terrorist regime of Milosevic, the Balkan`s butcher who commited genocide and massacred iinocent civilians, many of them still missing , buried in mass graves somewhere in serbia.

There is no such ethnic cleansing of serbs, the only ethnic cleansing that the democratic world knows is the one of albanians, that the serb terrorist regime expelled albanians from their homes. The only serbs who left Kosova after 1999 when NATO troops entered Kosova were the paramilitary forces and people who did massacres and raped innocent civilians, if you call that ethic cleansing than you must have a frozen brain or a damaged one.

So here are the two things here, Canada will recognize Kosova and follow the path of the most democratic states in this planet, like the U.S, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Poland, Australia and total of 25 countries and should not follow Russia and China who have a lot of human rights problems with their own people, I am 100% sure that Canada has smart leaders and the governmnet will recognize the newest nation very soon, this could happen next week.

The second thing is the international law, the international law was made and drafted by the same countries who recognized Kosova, so I do not know what has this moron had to say but anyways, the supervised independence of Kosova was created by the same 1244 resolution with Ahtisari`s plan after all wasted negotiations between Prishtina and Belgrade, it is exactly this plan which is conform the international law and approved by the same states they created the law. Kosova was and still is the most uniqu case , this has been lately documemted by the U.S congress and Senate, like never ever before we have the strongest support from both parties in the U.S all Barack Obama, Mccain and Hillary Clinton including pres Bush strongly support the new Republic of Kosova, so I expect you and all others to congratulate Kosova for the Independence and we are very grateful to Canada for all the support for Kosova since 1999.

Will Canada Recognize Kosovo?

here is the answer:
http://www.excal.on.ca/cms2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5797&Itemid=2

More than four IIIyrian Entities compose Albania.
LABEATS, TAULANTS, ALBANS, ENKELEIS, DARASETS and KAONS.
All of them speaks Illyrian language but with different dialects. Three first has a very distinct Illyrian dialect named GEGE and the rest has another Illyrian dialect named TOSKE.
On 1912 they united in one single state and agreed to be named Eagle’s Land. SHQIPERIA.
The foreign “SKOLARS” named Albania based on the name of only one of the Entities.
This was not only Ignorance but also a big mistake of these “very educated Scholars“.
The situation then was so critical for SHQIPETARET, so they accepted any injustice and compromise. This was the big price they pay to gain the independence. Of course many other Illyrian entities was ignored. This has been done in purpose to use Illyrian territories as a trade merchandise to please slavics, which in return were used in two wars. The Slavics paid their price. They lost 56 million people 1908 – 1946. Illyrian paid bigger price. They were spread over 5 different states.
It's about time to recognize the historical right of Kosova (Dardania) to have its destiny fulfilled-That is full independence. Kosova never was a Serbian province. It was there, since the times of birth of European civilization, a very distinct Dardanian/llyrian identity. Always populated by Dardanias who, although under constant pressure of forcefully migration by Serbian shovinism, Tito's Yugoslavia & Milloshevic's Serbia, still make up 92% of the population. They speak ilirian language with the dialect GEGE. Serbs always have been a minority there. We know that Serbs appeared in Balkans (then llyria) only by the 6th Century AD, and they speak a language more similar to Ukrainian then Russian. They have always been a minority and 'the story' of Kosova being the Heartland of Serbia is just a pure Serbian nationalist fantasy. Facts Speak Louder Than Words and Serbian’s Lies Will Collapse by Themselves. Serbs always have been considered as oppressors there, not just by Albanian majority, but also by other ethnic groups too. Serbs just occupied Kosova during the rise of the Serbian nationalism early 20th century from Ottomans, who by then were loosing the Balkans after 500 years of occupation. The borders of Kosova are well established and recognized. Now Kosova should be Free!
To find the answer for the question “do you think Kosovo’s independence will strengthen separatist movements elsewhere”, please refer to:
http://www.acesofww2.com/germany/aces/Hartmann.htm
Erich Hartman – top ace of all the time. German Luftwaffe Bf 109 Pilot.
Near the end of WWII, in early May 1945, Hartmann, then Gruppenkommandeur of famous Jagdgeschwader 52, and his Commodore, Hermann Graf, ground crew, family members, and other civilians, who had joined the squadron, seeking protection approaching Russian army, moved west in direction of territory already occupied by US troops. On May 8th, 1945, the soldiers and civilians surrendered to US troops in the region between Bavaria (German province) and Czech border. But on May 17th, the US Army delivered all of these German troops and civilians to the Red Army. How did the Russian troops treat the civilians? They tortured, raped German woman, children at least 12 years old. Some woman were shot after the rapes. Others were not so lucky. A twelve year old girl whose mother had been raped and shoot being raped by several solders. She died from these acts soon afterward. Then more Russian came, and it began all over again. During the night, entire German families committed suicide with men killing their wives and daughters, then themselves. This is the way the slavics treat the human been, the innocent civilians. This is the way the Serbs treated innocent Croatian, Bosnian and Dardanian civilians. If any entity of human been will be treated like that, then they are in title to ask and gain the independence.