The first visit since 1999 by a Serbian leader to the disputed province of Kosovo is a profoundly symbolic statement, especially as Kosovo?s final status is supposed to be decided this year. Kosovo is very obviously a sensitive subject for most in Serbia , as Serbian troops were forced to leave the province by NATO troops, reverting power back to ethnic Albanians. This was not a shining moment for Serbia, as the reason for the NATO forces was the subjugation and ethnic cleansing of Albanians in the province that force many to flee. Many Serbs still deny any wrongdoings; Serbia has been more cooperative about wanted war criminals but still not as much as authorities would like. The NATO intervention put Kosovo under an international protectorate, which initially stabilized the situation but has left Kosovo in a perpetual limbo. Now, it is the few remaining Serbs who feel persecuted, and it difficult for anyone to move forward — either politically or economically — while Kosovo remains in this realm. Ethnic violence against Serbs a year ago demonstrated that Albanians are still seething with resentment against Serbs, and high unemployment and poverty are also fraying nerves and making people more desperate.

Although Serbian President Boris Tadic very clearly stated during his visit that independence for Kosovo was unacceptable, UN officials were cautiously optimistic that he supported final status talks. Indeed, Tadic?s statements and actions themselves seem contradictory. He did reiterate that Serbia wants a peaceful solution and does not want war. However, it has also been reported that he made ethnic remarks while speaking in Albanian-populated areas that seemed to be aimed at stirring up trouble. Indeed, many members of the Albanian community lined up in the streets along Tadic?s route, loudly voicing their displeasure with his visit and throwing various items, but there were no major outbreaks of violence. Tadic surely realizes that Serbia must be part of any final status talks, and he needs to be diplomatic to participate in the international and European communities. He also needs to be seen as considerate and well-informed of the needs of the Kosovo Serbs for his own political future.

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