EU's Inaction on Kosovo Crisis Sparks International Condemnation

Strategic Insights -

As the humanitarian catastrophe in Kosovo deepens, European Union leaders are grappling with their own ineffectiveness in responding to the crisis. The bloc's inability to impose a ban on Yugoslav airline JAT flights, despite a majority vote in favor of the measure in June, has sparked outrage among its members. The UK's Foreign Office has ruled that the ban is not justified under international law, a decision that has been criticized by the European Commission, which is considering taking the UK to court for non-compliance. The EU's failure to act decisively in the face of mounting evidence of Serbian war crimes and ethnic cleansing has been met with dismay by international leaders, including US Senator Bob Dole, who has warned of crimes against humanity akin to those witnessed in Bosnia.

Key Takeaways:

  • The European Union's inability to impose a ban on Yugoslav airline JAT flights has been ruled as not justified under international law by the UK's Foreign Office.
  • The decision has been met with criticism from the European Commission, which is considering taking the UK to court for non-compliance.
  • The EU's failure to act decisively in the face of mounting evidence of Serbian war crimes and ethnic cleansing has been met with outrage among its members.
  • Senator Bob Dole has warned of crimes against humanity akin to those witnessed in Bosnia, as ethnic cleansing continues in Kosovo.
  • The UK's Foreign Office has been accused of prevarication, with Minister Robin Cook initially giving the public and Parliament the impression that Britain was leading the way to action on the JAT ban.
  • A "review of policy" has been ordered by Cook, but is seen as too tentative and too late to address the crisis.

Statistics:

  • Hundreds of thousands of Albanian refugees have been uprooted by Serbian security forces in Kosovo.
  • The EU has imposed no meaningful sanctions on Serbia despite recent evidence of war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
  • Only 12 months' notice is required before suspension of the existing air service agreement between London and Belgrade, according to the UK's Foreign Office.
  • The ban on JAT flights was mooted in June and formally agreed by the EU last week.

Sources:

  • "The Times" (exact publication date not specified)
  • "European Commission" (exact publication date not specified)
  • "US Senator Bob Dole" (exact publication date not specified)