"I don't really know what more there is that the West can do."
Michael Binyon, diplomatic editor of The Times

Tom Gallagher and Michael Binyon discuss the Balkans

Listen to our debate hosted by Bernadette Kehoe. Do you agree with the views of our contributors?

Background ¦ Your reaction ¦ Listen to the debate

The Background:

For most of this century Yugoslavia was a multi-ethnic state.

Now in large parts of the Balkans, nationalism holds sway, with the former Yugoslav Federation dismembered along ethnic lines.

The Kosovo conflict has driven tens of thousands of Albanian refugees across international borders; the European commissioner Emma Bonino complains that, by encouraging refugees, the West is assisting in ethnic cleansing.

After Kosovo, what next?

Should the West help or hinder the redrawing of borders in the Balkans? Can the peoples of the region ever live together in peace?

Background ¦ Your reaction ¦ Listen to the debate

Your Reaction:

The people of the Balkans and Middle East lived in peace by means of autocratic rule for hundreds of years under various regimes. It was the spread of nationalism from western Europe which has caused these problems. Millions of people have been killed and been displaced because of this dangerous and powerful political tool.
Kemal Bayram, UK

Yes, if the Nato stops interfering with their bombs and makes clear to all 'would be separatists' that no change of borders is acceptable. If Nato uses their force just as decisively to resettle back Serbian refugees from Croatia and Sarajevo and guarantees their livelihood. And if US stops looking for a scapegoat every time there is a genuine dispute. That's if US and Western Europe is not ripped apart in the wave of terrorism that will surely follow this murderous campaign by Nato criminals.
Will, Australia

The same question is applicable to Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
John Taddon, Canada

Yes, the people CAN co-exist, but in order for that to happen, there should be no foreign interference, or there should be involvement that does not take sides.
Nikola, USA (Serbian)

Can the people of The Northern Ireland ever co-exist in peace? The UN Charter bans force violating state sovereignty. But who cares about the principles of international law! I would like to remind you on something: Hitler announced Germany's intention to end ethnic tensions and violence, and "safeguard the national individuality of the German and Czech peoples." In an operation "filled with earnest desire to serve the true interests of the peoples dwelling in the area," in accordance with their will; the Slovakian President asked Hitler to declare Slovakia a protectorate. Today we are targets. I and my family: my six week old son and my wife! Who is next?
Goran Miskovic, Europe

Yes, they can. Albanians have been living in peace in Yugoslavia for so many decades, they chose to live on Serbian territory although they have their own land. And now they are being called "refugees" upon returning back to Albania. The world seems to dismiss the suffering of the Serbs fleeing their own homeland as a result of the offensive attack on their country that should be stopped. The Albanians have stretched their host-country's patience and are asking for too much, they should stay in Albania and not demand Serbian soil for their own.
NH, Jordan

Let start my comment with a quote: "I don't really know what more there is that the West can do." Michael Binyon, diplomatic editor of the Times Well, to Mr. Binyon and all other sceptics I would like to say: What Balkan and any other part of the world, for that matter, needs is West to keep their arms and politics for themselves. Let the people live and solve their problems themselves.
A. Malinovski, Canada

Unfortunately, you cannot stop a war that wants to happen. Clearly, there are issues in the Balkans that the inhabitants feel will only be settled completely by warfare. Sad, but true. At this point, I think the best we in the US / UK can do is step back and let the madness spend itself.
Christopher Budd, USA

All the world can live in peace, as long as "interests" permit it !!!.
S. Valmas, Greece

The answer for the question "Can the peoples of the Balkans ever co-exist in peace" - is: can the peoples over the world live in peace? For example, can the people in Northern Ireland ever co-exist in peace? Can we make a perfect world?
Zoran, USA

Yes, we can live together, but Albanian must know this is SERBIAN territory. IF Albanians don't like to live here, then they must go to ALBANIA. Two Albania's, is not possible. Kosovo is SERBIA.
DAVID, Slo

Yes, peoples in the Balkans can live together in peace. The only condition is that the "international community" (i.e. EU + US) stops interfering in their home affairs. Don't forget that as soon as 1979 Germany helped Croatian nationalists to break out of Yugoslavia, or that, as was confirmed by Lord Owen, the USA used their powerful influence to prolong during more than 2 years the war in Bosnia. Tens of thousands more will die and, in the end, NATO and US will rise their flags on the ruins of "liberated" Pristina. Peace in the Balkans means NATO OUT.
Georges Berghezan, Belgium

Yes, we can live together peacefully, as we did before the International Community started to interfere with our way of life and traditions. All wars in Balkan were triggered by so called "CIVILIZED" countries from Western Europe/US. Be sure that "tomahawk" order is boomerang. Just wait for it.
Tatjana, Skopje, Macedonia

Albanians never wanted to live peacefully with the Serbs on their (Serbian) territory. It is only normal that they go back to their own land Albania. The fact that they had fantastic conditions to multiply in Kosovo does not give them the right to claim legitimate Serbian territory. It is shameless and dangerous for people who have no knowledge or understanding of the Balkan affairs to even think of judging the present situation, let alone take sides and contribute to the general public opinion dictated by Nato i.e. US thugs and bullies.
TP, Germany

I look on with sadness at the current Nato action in the former Yugoslavia. It seems that we learn nothing from our past experiences. Nobody is in any doubt as to the kind of man Milosevic is but surely to punish the ordinary people of Serbia by bombing only builds up support for him. Here in Northern Ireland we finally have a chance of a settlement , incidentally this was achieved by negotiation and not violence as we were encouraged by both the British and Irish as well as the American governments to adopt the Mitchell principles on non-violence as the only basis for peace. Is it not hypocritical then that these same people try to force their will on the Serbs.
Stewart Law, Northern Ireland

Yes, the Balkan people can live in peace. The only condition is: Western Europe and US leave us alone to resolve the problems you created.
Goran, Macedonia

If, as the Serbs insist, the Albanians ran away from the bombs, then how come it is now safe for them to return - which is what the Serbs claim - when Nato has rejected their spurious cease-fire?
Tim Walters, Spain

What else can they do? They cannot co-exist in war. In Macedonia we have already started building some bridges between the communities. With a little help (and I don't mean military help), or even left alone, we have a good chance to get it right.
Mihail, UK

When you look to near Balkan history and wars that took place, one realises that all these wars were due to the Panslavic Hegemony supported by Russia and conducted by Serbia. No other nation wanted to live with Serbia, even through all were Slavic until now; Slovenes, Croats, Bosnians, Macedonians, even Montenegrin want to break up with Serbia. Subsequently how can Albanians live Serbia with them, when they have not Slavic nation nor share the culture. Only free and democratic Kosovo will bring peace to Balkans.
Mytaher, Kosovo

With all due respect most of the comments from the USA are simplistic. W Europe states are mostly defined on ethnic lines so mostly there is peace. Where there is a mix there is trouble - Basques, Ulster, Belgium - but money and political will plus democracy keep such problems in check. SE Europe has been run by a succession of empires and occupiers and peace kept by force and when that force has been removed there has always been big time trouble. A complete redrawing of E Europe boundaries on ethnic lines would create mayhem hence these people have just got to get along together. The Bosnia experiment is not working at all and probably the only workable plan would be to impose an EU protectorate upon FRY and Bosnia for around 25 years. Cheap when you consider the cost of war. The UN has no valid interest but Russia and Turkey should and must be involved.
Howard, France

History of terror has shown that life with Serbia is impossible. Only independent and democratic Kosova will bring peace to Balkans.
Myto, Kosovo

Taking into account latest NATO actions against Yugoslavia, I would say that those actions don't agree with NATO Statute (to fight only in case of NATO country being attacked). Does this latest action mean that NATO's policy is about to change? (Mr. Clinton said today that US as the most powerful country in the world has obligation to protect peace of the whole world - US alone or as a part of NATO).
Maja Petsa, Cyprus

Albania and Kosovo should be united as one new Federated state. A new refugee staging camp should be built on Kosovo soil next to Albania. After a rest with good food these people will gladly help build a new camp on their soil . And there will be no mistake they are going to reclaim their homelands. Lets keep the Aid dollors working on their Lands. It's an easy area to protect and supply.
Ronald Douglas Kennedy. U.S.A

The Serbs must be forced out of Kosovo, and the land returned to the refugees for rebuilding and resettling. I cannot believe that we have allowed this type of aggression to take hold in Europe. It's inhuman. There are always problems in the world, involving conflicting nations, but to empty an entire population out of homes, breaking up loving families and even killing some of them, is something which goes beyond words. There is no dignity or romance in war, and nobody wins in the end, but above all, the people do nothing to deserve it.
Adrian Brett, UK

We are a rich country that has conscientiously shouldered all the responsibilities that being a member of NATO entails for the past 50 years or so. As such, we should have been far more decisive in Croatia and Bosnia than we were and, consequently, hold some of the responsibility for what has been happening in Kosovo these last few months. We therefore should systematically and without any hesitation stop Milosevic and his 'henchmen' doing the dirty work in ex-Yugoslavia, that they have been doing and ruthlessly put an end to the fascism that could take hold once more in Europe. It is our duty to all the downtrodden to show that they do have first world allies who are willing to suffer for a better world. We must therefore go into Kosovo with ground troops and root out this cancer once and for all, even if it means another "Marshall Plan' and an occupation force being present, as it was in Germany, for another fifty years. Peace comes at a price.
Will Hardwick, Scotland

Of course, but only when Nato stops bombing.
Giorgos Psaros, UK

The trouble with the Balkans is that the development of national states is behind with respect to Western Europe. In this respect the Dayton accord is counterproductive because it seeks to mix the nationalities rather than to isolate them.
Asgeir Petursson, Iceland

I believe that they can live in peace. There are many examples in Europe of countries where differing ethnicities live in peace, for example Switzerland and Belgium. All the people of Kosovo need is time for their passions to cool down, and a common enemy. That usually does the trick in other areas.
G. David Nystrom, USA

If Albanians cannot live in peace with Serbs on Serbian territory it is natural for them to go to Albania. When Jews realised they are not welcomed in the world they went back to their historical homeland and rebuilt their own country. Nowhere in the world Jews ever demanded to create a Jewish state out of their host country. How many Albanias do Albanians need? They already have their country and no legitimate or historical right to demand for another Albania to be carved out of already tiny Serbia.
Gabriel, USA