Yet Another Balkans Crisis?

Yesterday Kosovo’s parliament declared unanimously declared itself to be independent from Serbia. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7249034.stm

Just about immediately Serbia and her close supporter, Russia, made their protests as riot police faced protesters in Belgrade and grenades were thrown in the ethnically Serb town of Mitrovica in Kosovo.

Today Serbia withdrew her ambassador to the USA, stating that the country had violated international law by recognising Kosovo. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7251802.stm

Amongst EU nations opinion has been divided with Spain not recognising the new state, in a directly opposite action to that taken by France, Germany and the UK.

All this not only brings back memories of the conflict in the late 1990s but also to the wider unrest in the region that has bedevilled wider European relations for upwards of 150 years. Even without going back to the strife prior to the Nineteenth Century there is enough to keep historians occupied. The crises of 1875-78, 1886, 1912-13 and, of course, 1914 all had international repercussions. It can only be hoped that both local and regional tensions will ease before more blood is spilt in a most contentious corner of our continent.