Rambouillet Peace Conference - Hawaii Pacific University

Boshkovich 71
growing, their domestic politics were toxic, and their putative client in Belgrade was a
ruthless dictator‖. 173 And she was right (mostly); all Russia could do was to complain, but
in reality NATO knew that this would not be a battle that Russia would fight, after all
NATO gave Russia the perfect excuse to intervene in Georgia in 2008. It was the same
scenario; great power came to help ―suppressed minority‖ that seeks independence
(Abkhazia and South Ossetia). This time NATO was the side that could just complain,
very well aware that it was not going to be their battle. One might assume that NATO and
Russia have made a deal regarding their interests in which small countries such as Serbia
and Georgia will pay the price, but of course, this theory would be impossible to prove.
Still, this topic is not unfamiliar to journalists such as Tim Marshall who compared
Kosovo and Georgia and said: ―This is not to defend Russia's actions in Georgia but it
does show how the Americans, British and others want things both ways - and it also
shows how the recognition of Kosovo has destroyed the hallowed concept that you don't
change borders through force‖. He also asked himself what would be the reason to have
different standards for Kosovo and South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The answer is usually,
'because of the behaviour of the Serb forces'. ―Put that forward in international law as a
justification for changing borders and you would be laughed out of court‖. 174
Another interesting story is the reactions of some politicians and scholars in the
world regarding the Rambouillet Conference. Some of those reactions could be found in
Mr. Komnenic‘s book. He traveled to Paris during the Conference to show to the West
that Serbian opposition, which was the strongest enemy of Milosevic, was also aware that
173 Madeleine Albright, Madam Secretary: A Memoir (New York: Easton Press, 2003), 414.
174 Sky News Online, ―Russia Eats the Kosovo Cake,‖ http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-
News/Tim-Marshall-Russia-Eats-The-Kosovo-
Cake/Article/200808215076194?lpos=World_News_Article_Related_Content_Region_8&lid=ARTICLE_
15076194_Tim_Marshall%3A_Russia_Eats_The_Kosovo_Cake