Limited independence for Kosovo?

According to Wolfgang Benedek, a specialist in international law from Graz, an independent Kosovo would not "set a dangerous precedent." Talking to Norbert Mappes-Niediek about the "restricted independence" model for Kosovo he comments: "This is not a typical case of separatism. This is about the unfinished process of the splitting up of Yugoslavia. If Kosovo had had only a slightly different status within Yugoslavia, it would have been recognised as an independent state from the very beginning. We should be asking the opposite question: would a Kosovo under Serb rule be a feasible alternative?... International law used to have provisional solutions, such as protectorates. Many developments are taking place that have not yet been settled from a legal point of view. We should be asking ourselves: who could prevent limited independence if the principle actors have already decided in its favour?"

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