KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE PROTEST IN CALGARY
Saturday, March 1, 2008

Author: Bosko Ivkovic
____________________________________________________________

SECESSION of KOSOVO and METOHIJA from SERBIA

Royal Canadian Military Institute
Toronto, March 13, 2008

Speeches of the panelists in Real format:

1. Amb. James BISSETT
2. Dr. Thomas FLEMING
3. Sunil RAM
4. Dr. Srdja TRIFKOVIC

The Lord Byron Foundation for Balkan Studies and The Rockford Institute Center for International Affairs on March 13, 2008 held a DISPUTED SECESSION about KOSOVO with a question:
What Should Canada Do?

The sesion was in the Royal Canadian Military Institute (Main Lounge)
(426 University Avenue, Toronto).

A major security issue facing the world in 2008 is the future of the Serbian province of Kosovo, whose Albanian leaders went ahead with an unilateral declaration of independence on February 17.

Canada is now facing a dilemma: to follow Washington and several major European powers in recognizing Kosovo's secession, or to uphold the rule of law, the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, and the Westphalian principles that still retain their validity after almost four centuries.

As Iraq has shown, predictable mistakes turn into costly disasters. Our speakers will look into:

Legal implications – The international system is being undermined, perhaps fatally

Global security threat – In addition to being a hotbed of criminality – such as heroin smuggling and people trafficking – Kosovo is fast becoming a stronghold of Islamic radicalism.

Dangerous precedent – Kosovo creates a model for other minorities around the world.

Futile surrender to global Jihad – The US is trying to appease the Islamic world, but concessions in the Balkans will be seen merely as a sign of general weakness of the "Infidel."

PANELISTS:

Amb. James BISSETT: Why Canada Should Not Recognize Illegal Secession, former Canadian Ambassador to Yugoslavia (1990-1992), former head of Canada's immigration service, Chairman of The Lord Byron Foundation for Balkan Studies, and prominent media commentator.

Thomas FLEMING: "International Legal Implications", Dr. Fleming, a frequent visitor to the Balkans, is President of The Rockford Institute, Editor of Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture, and author (inter alia) of Montenegro: A Divided Land.

Sunil RAM: "A New Jihadist Stronghold in Europe". Professor Ram is an international defense and security analyst and media commentator. He currently works with American Military University and the UN Institute for Training and Research. A Canadian Forces veteran, he is a former military advisor to the Saudi Royal Family.

Srdja TRIFKOVIC: "Serbia Alienated, Russia Challenged, Europe Divided".

Dr. Trifkovic is Executive Director of The Lord Byron Foundation for Balkan Studies, Foreign Affairs Editor of Chronicles and Director of The Rockford Institute Center for International Affairs.

Speeches of the panelists in Real format:

1. Amb. James BISSETT

2. Dr. Thomas FLEMING

3. Sunil RAM

4. Dr. Srdja TRIFKOVIC