Balkans: March 26, 2004

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Germany is pressing for allowing Kosovo to vote on independence (which would probably make Kosovo independent because over 90 percent of Kosovars are Albanian). This independence would not be recognized by Serbia, or Macedonia and Greece as well. An independent Kosovo would be run, or heavily influenced, by powerful Albanian gangs and Albanian nationalists. Russia opposes an independent Kosovo, because such a country would continue to persecute it's Serb minority. It looks like KFOR peacekeepers are going to be stuck in Kosovo for a long time (as in decades.)