Perhaps within the coming year, we will see the final, authoritative cleaving of the erstwhile Yugoslav state, with a decision being made on the fate of the province of Kosova. This is not necessarily a good thing, with the potential for violence and unrest coming with every option, but seeing as the international community is hell-bent on maintaining the same ineffectual holding pattern on the issue, that issue may just be forced if things don't change.

Seeing as Kosova has been governed by the UN since 1999, the itch for full, real independence is growing among common Kosovars. Negotiations continue with all the nuance of beating one's head against a wall: Kosova will not accept a status a whit below full independence, while Serbia refuses to part with an inch of Kosovar soil. The US backs Kosova, Russia backs Serbia (both on dubious positions), and the deadlock continues. Negotiations are more window-dressing than real discussion.

And all the while, Kosovars are starting to organize and push for a unilateral declaration of independence. Quoth an independence advocate in Kosova,

"I asked the Russian representative, 'If you will always veto any independence proposal that Serbia doesn't want, then why are we even negotiating?' He didn't answer. We won't change, Belgrade won't change. Moscow won't change. It's time to move on."

The B92 station in Serbia provides in-depth coverage of the issue, naturally. They make the case for partition, stating that

“Those in favor of Kosovo’s independence at the same time back tearing Serbia apart. If such an action is deemed acceptable, why not make another step forward and divide Kosovo so as to arrive at a solution Belgrade may find more acceptable.”

So, the situation may be forced into resolution, violently and chaotically, by Kosovar activists sick and tired of living in limbo. However, the answer is hardly independence- at least not for the right questions. Every race and people doesn't deserve their own nation- they just deserve access to well-run, safe nation. Partition looks like it will leave a state that is neither, and full-on independence guarantees violence. What to do? Hopefully some negotiator somewhere will have a breakthrough, and head off the conflagration at the pass.

This raises many questions relating to statehood in the 21st century and beyond. Obviously, the status of Kosova is going to require unique solutions that possibly defy the traditional notion of 'statehood.' Kosovars and Serbs are going to have to get creative, Americans and Russians are going to need to get flexible, and the European Union needs to get on the ball and grab the steering wheel on this runaway wreck-in-waiting right in the underbelly of their region.

EDIT 12:02AM: In case anyone wants to pick at my pronunciation, Kosova is the pronunciation favored by Albanians, while Kosovo is that preferred by Serbs. I suppose I sympathize more with the Albanians.