We need to be wary of Kosovo independence

RECENT developments in relation to the status of Kosovo raise the possibility of Ireland (through the EU) recognising a declaration of independence by the province without UN approval.

Such an action by the Government would represent a violation of the spirit of Article 29.3 of the Irish constitution regarding respect for international law and would be against the principles of the UN charter.

The inadequately brief negotiations conducted by the UN envoy between Serb and Kosovo Albanian representatives represented a poor attempt at finding a compromise on the status of the province.

To say that an agreement between the two sides cannot be reached is unimaginative and insincere, reflecting an attempt to sell independence as a fait accompli.

Ireland and the EU should push for real and meaningful negotiations between the two parties, a formula the ‘international community’ advocates for settling the disputes in Cyprus, Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh,

Darragh Farrell

Department of Sociology

NUI Maynooth

Co Kildare