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Sarkozy Makes Premature, Unnecessary, Familiar Statement on KosovoPosted by Kyle Atwell in Transatlantic Relations on Tuesday, December 18. 2007 Nicholas Sarkozy stated last weekend that the issue of Kosovo's independence, "is not an affair of Mr. Bush or Mr. Putin, but one of Europe." (Le Figaro, in French). Another article by John Ward Anderson in the Washington Post reports:
Does Sarkozy mean to say that despite a recent history thick with US political and military engagement in the Balkans, Kosovo is now strictly a European issue? Has Sarkozy forgotten so quickly that the United States bailed out Europe in the Balkans even after the 1991 declaration by Luxembourg's foreign minister Jacques Poos that "This is the hour of Europe?" Joerg recently cited the Jacques Poos quote in an Atlantic Review post he titled "Kosovo: Is the EU Home Alone in the Balkans?" Perhaps another question is, "Kosovo: Whose House is it?" What is the benefit for Sarkozy or the EU of preemptively decrying American support, especially when the US and EU strategy for Kosovo seem to be in sync? Why not declare this the "hour of the allies" or the "the hour of cooperation", or perhaps be more candid: "this is the hour we will hopefully not f*** up again in the Balkans, but if we do we are glad to have our American friends to back us up?" Sarkozy's statement is particularly frustrating to America's proponents of transatlantic cooperation, because it is exactly the type of churlish bombast that leads American Europhobes to argue that the pubescent EU Common Foreign and Security Policy aims to build the EU as a counterweight to the United States, rather than as a stronger ally. Welcome! You are reading the ATLANTIC REVIEW -- a Press Digest on Transatlantic Relations combined with commentary and analysis by three young professionals from Germany, the Netherlands and the United States. More about us. The horizontal menu bar at the top helps to navigate this site. Subscribe to one of our RSS-Feeds or to our newsletter, which is emailed twice per month.Trackbacks
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Don S
- #1 - 2007-12-18 15:23 -
"Has Sarkozy forgotten so quickly that the United States bailed out Europe in the Balkans even after the 1991 declaration by Luxembourg's foreign minister Jacques Poos that "This is the hour of Europe?"" Comments (9)
SC
- #1.1 - 2007-12-18 17:42 -
Do you think this is the thinking in the White House and State, Don? Joerg made the point in an earlier post that the President has a declared interest in Kosovo. And State? The definition of US "interest" has often depended on who's doing the defining.:) Comments (2)
Don S
- #1.1.1 - 2007-12-18 19:23 -
With all the second-term resignations and changes in the WH I'd be surprised if the WH staff could find their gluteus max with both hands right now, SC. Especially about Kosovo. Comments (9)
Joerg - Atlantic Review
- #1.1.1.1 - 2007-12-18 20:53 -
SC and Don, Comments (4)
SC
- #1.1.1.1.1 - 2007-12-19 02:54 -
@Don and Jorge: Comments (2)
Don S
- #1.1.1.1.2 - 2007-12-19 11:00 -
"Likewise in Russia: Why does Russia care about this very extremely small Kosovo territory? Because of the United States. It's the old spheres of influence power play. It's ridiculous, but traditional." Comments (9)
Joerg - Atlantic Review
- #2 - 2007-12-18 20:58 -
Kyle, Comments (4)
Kyle
- #2.1 - 2007-12-18 21:12 -
This coming from a guy who writes, Comments (2)
Don S
- #2.2 - 2007-12-18 21:52 -
Joerg, your posts about Sarko seem almost.... Well I'm not certain. Obsessive or envious are far too strong to describe the sentiment, but you clearly dislike the man and seem to find him inauthentic. Comments (9)
Kyle
- #2.2.1 - 2007-12-18 22:22 -
Don, Comments (2)
Don S
- #2.2.1.1 - 2007-12-19 12:39 -
"However, Sarko lumped the United States in with Russia in what I perceived as a, "the US is not invited to this conversation" type of way." Comments (9)
Don S
- #2.2.1.2 - 2007-12-19 18:49 -
"However, Sarko lumped the United States in with Russia in what I perceived as a, "the US is not invited to this conversation" type of way. This was simply unecessary." Comments (9)
Kyle - Atlantic Review
- #2.2.1.2.1 - 2007-12-20 22:31 -
Don, Comments (3)
Joerg - Atlantic Review
- #2.2.2 - 2007-12-18 23:51 -
@ Don, Comments (4)
Kyle - Atlantic Review
- #2.2.2.1 - 2007-12-27 00:59 -
@ Joerg: Comments (3)
Joerg - Atlantic Review
- #2.2.2.1.1 - 2007-12-27 16:03 -
Let's wait and see, if those additional French troops will arrive and what their tasks will be. Comments (4)
Anonymous
- #3 - 2007-12-19 09:44 -
From the Economist: Comment (1)
Don S
- #4 - 2007-12-19 13:09 -
Under certain conditions I could easily see the US as friends and allies - or at least friendly. Comments (9)
Don S
- #4.1 - 2007-12-19 19:01 -
"Under certain conditions I could easily see the US as friends and allies - or at least friendly." Comments (9)
Merkel-2
- #5 - 2007-12-21 05:24 -
Original post from Comment (1)
Don S
- #5.1 - 2007-12-26 21:59 -
"Lots of presumptions you had made, But most of them are unreasonable . What make you think China will take Korea and Siberia. any related prooves?" Comments (9)
Kyle - Atlantic Review
- #5.1.1 - 2007-12-26 23:56 -
@ Don S: Comments (3)
Merkel-3
- #5.1.2 - 2007-12-28 07:47 -
Don 's Comments Comment (1)
ADMIN
- #6 - 2007-12-27 16:26 -
Please note that by default the comments in this blog are threaded rather than linear, i.e. some of the latest comments and responses to comments are not at the bottom, but in the middle. Comment (1)
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