US expert says many countries defined by force and injustice

George Friedman, the founder of the “Stratfor,” a geopolitical intelligence platform, told the Belgrade Danas daily that it was in Serbia’s interest to solve the issue and “move on.”

“I think that since Serbia’s borders have already been changed during the (1995-1995) war, there is no reason for the current boundaries to be sacred. That’s why I suggest that a third side is excluded and that the two directly concerned parties reach an agreement,” Friedman said.

He said that many countries were defined by “force and injustice”.

“Hungarians live with the Treaty of Trianon (from 1920, under which the country lost two-thirds of its territory and about one-third of its population), the Poles live with losing its eastern part, the Mexicans survived the US conquest of its northern chunk. All countries can find out that force and injustice defined them,” Friedman said.

However, Friedman added, the problem with that idea regarding Belgrade and Pristina was that both Kosovo and Serbia wanted to blame the third side for a solution and inevitable concessions.

He said he doubted that the US would be against any idea, including the border changes, if it led to stability and peace in the region.

“What the Russians say, what they can do and what they will do are significantly different things. Bearing in mind the current mood in the US, a potentially deep Russian involvement would mean an appropriate American response. That would make Serbia a chip in the weaker side’s game,” Friedman warned.