Asian countries fearful over Kosovo independence

The unilateral secession of the Albanian Kosovars risks being "an unmanageable precedent" for all groups aspiring to independence. China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Israel are concerned over the consequences for Taiwan, Tamil, Aceh, Palestine.

The declaration of Kosovo's independence is generating fear in many Asian nations, above all those made up of various ethnic groups. They are afraid that Kosovo's unilateral independence could be a model for many other groups, leading to the disintegration of countries like China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and even India.

Yesterday, the Kosovar parliament unanimously (and unilaterally) declared its independence from Serbia. The region, which now has an overwhelmingly Albanian and Muslim majority population, has separated from the rest of Serbia, which is of Slavic and Orthodox tradition.

The decision, which has long been supported by the United States, has created joy in Kosovo, but great concern in the world. Various countries of the European Union - Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy - are ready to recognise the new country, together with the U.S.

Russia, allied with Serbia, asked overnight for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, and obtained a more formal and extensive meeting on the topic for tomorrow afternoon.

Russia criticises the decision and highlights the difficulties of guaranteeing the safety of the 120,000 Serbians who live in Kosovo. But it fears above all that the push for independence will spread through various regions of Russia, leading to division in the federation. In the same way, Spain will not recognise Kosovo, fearing the encouragement for Basque and Catalan separatists.

In Asia, the independence of Kosovo is seen as a threatening model. China, which is fearful of seeing Taiwan take the same step, today declared its "deep concern" over Kosovo's unilateral decision, and asked the Serbian and Albanian Kosovars to find 'a 'proper solution through negotiations''.

Taiwan, on the other hand, is celebrating and congratulating Kosovo. A declaration from the foreign minister affirms that "self-determination is a right recognised by the United Nations, and it is the people who are masters of their nation's future". Taiwan, considered a "rebel" island by China, has tried dozens of times to be recognised by the UN, but has always found itself blocked by Beijing and its allies. "In no way", continues the Taiwanese declaration, "should the independence of one nation be denied by another ".

Indonesia, which has a war for the independence of Aceh behind it and is composed of many ethnic groups, has declared that it is "not yet in a position to recognise Kosovo's statehood". But Indonesian Islamic groups are celebrating the declaration of independence of the Kosovars, who are Muslims. But Abdillah Toha, a member of the parliamentary commission, has said that in all likelihood, if the UN votes on the independence of Kosovo, Indonesia will abstain from voting.

Sri Lanka, which has been fighting against Tamil efforts for independence for 20 years, declared today that the move by Kosovo could create "an unmanageable precedent in the conduct of international relations". The foreign minister in Colombo does not support the secession of Kosovo, because it "poses a grave threat to international peace and security".

In the Philippines, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has declared that with the move by Kosovo "the taboo" of the unwritten rules of the United Nations safeguarding the integrity of the countries that it recognises "has been shattered". After years of fighting for the independence of Mindanao, the Front has agreed to open talks with the government, setting aside the goal of independence and asking only for administrative autonomy for the southern region. "What is prohibited for decades", says Khaled Musa, deputy chairman of the Front, "is now a virtual part of international law".

Israel is looking with concern and reservation at what it calls "the unilateral secession" of Kosovo, because this could have implications on the Palestinian issue.

The Israeli foreign minister said yesterday in a terse statement that it is "following the developments" of the situation and will express itself in the future.

Source: asianews.it