Sir, - Since Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Macedonia have all seceded from Serbian-dominated Yugoslavia, why should Kosovo not be allowed to follow suit? With the exception of Slovenia, these breakaway states had higher percentages of ethnic Serbs than the mere 10 per cent that Kosovo has!
As for Serbia's "historical claim" to Kosovo, this is a myth. The Kososvars, being ethnic Albanians, are descendants of the ancient Illyrians who inhabited the Balkans and who were conquered by the Romans. Only after the Romans retreated did the (Slavic) Serbs from near Russia invade the Balkans, and once again the Kosovars were subdued by a foreign power.
While the West dithers over Kosovo, the Serbs are having another go at ethnic cleansing. - Yours, etc., Michael Delmonte,
Trafalgar Terrace, Monkstown, Co Dublin.