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A welcome reprise of ping-pong diplomacy


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February 27th, 2008 issue

It’s not often that this page agrees with the positions and actions of the Czech government. But, in the wake of the controversy and violence triggered by Kosovo’s Feb. 17 declaration of independence, we have to agree that its wait-and-see attitude is well advised.

The ripple effect of Kosovo’s action has already been dramatic and far-reaching, from the rioting in Belgrade last week to the demonstrations in Prague over the weekend. Perhaps most troubling was the appearance of Russian First Deputy Prime Minister (and Putin heir-apparent) Dmitry Medvedev in Belgrade Monday, declaring Russia’s support for Serbian resistance to an independent Kosovo. The Russians seem determined to turn every new political controversy into a major East-West confrontation, and this one has the potential to explode with disastrous consequences.
While the positions of countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and France are key to the Balkans’ long-term stability, their quick approval of Kosovo’s independence smacks a bit of paternalism. It’s easy to make those calls from far away, when your immediate involvement is no deeper than a contribution to an international peacekeeping force. Of course, every nation is going to act according to its self-interest. But, in this case, the self-interest of neighboring countries should have a great deal more weight and significance.
This stems in part from their familiarity and experience with similar situations. As Jiří Dienstbier points out, the Czech Republic faced a similar situation in 1938, when bigger countries supported the secession of the Sudetenland over the protests of the Czechoslovak government. That’s still a fresh wound for many Czechs, and a source of empathy that bigger nations lack. Imagine if the present situation was reversed and the European Union supported a breakaway effort by, say, Hispanics in Texas or New Mexico. How would the United States react to that?
For now, the reality is that if other nations follow the lead of the superpowers and start choosing sides, Kosovo could turn into a much bigger and more dangerous conflagration. In our opinion, the EU was wise to leave that decision up to individual member countries, and Czech President Václav Klaus sounded exactly the right note in cautioning that, whatever move this country makes, it should be with an eye toward calming, and not inflaming, a delicate situation. The Kosovo controversy will not resolve itself, but some breathing space will give it critical time to cool down.
Meanwhile, it’s heartening to see that, in other respects, life for an independent Kosovo moves on. A Kosovo team is currently competing at the world ping-pong championship in Beijing, and has in fact been a separate member of the International Table Tennis Federation since 1993. It’s not exactly a powerhouse; the men are ranked No. 114 in the world (behind Nepal), and the women No. 112. But, as an officer of the organization told The New York Times, “We don’t speak about politics. It’s not news for us. Maybe for you, but not for us.”
Play on.


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