Kosovo Moves Toward Independence

http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2008-02-15-voa2.cfm

Kosovo Moves Toward Independence, While a Crisis Shakes Timor
Ethnic Albanians prepare to cut the world's newest country out of Serbia. In East Timor, troops search for suspected rebels after attacks on that young nation's leaders. Transcript of radio broadcast:
15 February 2008

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English
Kosovo is expected to declare its independence from Serbia in the coming days, possibly on Sunday.

Serbia's newly re-elected President Boris Tadic says he will never give up his fight for Kosovo, but will also fight for Serbia to join the European Union.

He said Friday that Serbia would reduce diplomatic relations, but not cut ties, with countries that recognize an independent Kosovo


Kosovo's leader, Hashim Thaci, is calling on displaced Serbs living outside Kosovo to return.
Serbia and its chief ally, Russia, say Kosovo's independence will lead to separatist efforts by other dissatisfied territories across the world.

Serbia has offered self-rule for Kosovo, which it considers an important part of its history and territory. Yet Serbia has not controlled the southern province since nineteen ninety-nine. That was when NATO bombed the former Yugoslavia until Yugoslav military leaders agreed to withdraw troops from Kosovo.

About two million people live there. Ninety percent are ethnic Albanian. The area is currently administered by the United Nations and policed by sixteen thousand NATO-led peacekeepers.

The United States and most European countries support independence. Once Kosovo acts, the European Union plans to take over many of the administrative duties now held by the United Nations. Serbia and Russia say that plan is illegal.

In March of two thousand four there was violence mainly against ethnic Serbs in Kosovo. That led, almost two years later, to the opening of international negotiations on Kosovo. Finally, in December, the United Nations Security Council declared itself in hopeless disagreement.

As Kosovo prepares to become the world's newest country, the six-year-old nation of East Timor struggles with a crisis. Foreign troops are searching for suspected rebels after attacks against its leaders.

On Monday, president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta was shot twice and seriously wounded. Gunmen later shot at Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao but he escaped unhurt.

Wanted rebel leader Alfredo Reinado died in a gunfight with guards during the attack at the president's home in Dili, the capital. He escaped from prison after being found guilty of inciting clashes between government forces and former rebels in two thousand six.

East Timor, or Timor-Leste, is a former province of Indonesia, and one of the world's poorest countries. On Wednesday the government of the young democracy extended a state of emergency for ten days.

Australia has more than one thousand soldiers and police there, including extra forces sent after the shootings. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd briefly visited Dili Friday. He later visited President Ramos-Horta at a hospital in Darwin, Australia.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake.

----------------------------Google Translate

科索沃走向独立，而危机摇了摇东帝汶
阿族人准备削减世界上最新的国家摆脱塞尔维亚。在东帝汶驻军寻找涉嫌叛乱分子袭击后，对这个年轻的国家领导人。全文电台广播：
2008年2月15日

这是在新闻报道中，在美国之音特别英语
科索沃是可望宣布独立，由塞尔维亚，在未来几天，可能是周日。

塞尔维亚的新当选连任总统塔迪奇说，他绝不会放弃他的争取科索沃，但也将争取塞尔维亚加入欧盟。

他说，周五表示，塞尔维亚将降低外交关系，但不脱钩，与各国承认一个独立的科索沃


科索沃的领导人，哈希姆特哈契，呼吁流离失所的塞族人居住在科索沃境外返回。
塞尔维亚和它的最主要的盟友，俄罗斯，说，科索沃的独立将导致分裂的努力等不满领土世界各地。

塞尔维亚提供了自治原则对科索沃来说，我们认为它是一个重要组成部分，它的历史和领土的行为。但塞尔维亚不控制的南部省自1999年。这是北约轰炸前南斯拉夫，直到南斯拉夫军方领导人同意撤回军队撤出科索沃。

大约两百万人生活在那里。百分之九十是阿尔巴尼亚族。该地区目前由联合国管理和治安由1.60万北约领导的维和人员。

美国和大部分欧洲国家的支持独立。一旦科索沃的行为，欧洲联盟准备接手很多的行政职务，现在，在联合国召开的。塞尔维亚和俄罗斯说，这项计划是非法的。

在3月的2000四个有暴力行为，主要是针对塞族人在科索沃。这导致了几乎两年后，以开放的国际谈判，就科索沃问题。终于，在12月，联合国安理会宣布自己在无望的分歧。

由于科索沃即将成为世界上最年轻的国家， 6岁的东帝汶民族斗争与危机。外国军队搜查可疑的叛乱分子袭击后，针对其领导人。

上周一，总统和诺贝尔和平奖得主何塞拉莫斯-奥尔塔被击中两次，并严重受伤。后来枪手开枪首相夏纳纳古斯芒，但他逃脱，没有受伤。

通缉叛军领导人阿尔弗雷多reinado死于一场枪战中，与守卫在攻击中，在总统的家在首都帝力。他从监狱逃脱后，被发现犯有煽动冲突中，政府军和前反政府武装在2000六名。

东帝汶，或东帝汶，是前省印度尼西亚，其中一个是世界上最穷的国家。上周三政府对年轻的民主国家延长国家紧急状态10天。

澳大利亚有超过1000士兵和警察，其中包括额外势力发出后，具女尸。澳大利亚总理凯文拉德简短访问了帝力周五。后来他又访问了菲律宾总统拉莫斯-奥尔塔在一间医院在澳大利亚的达尔文。

这是在新闻报道中，在美国之音特别英语，写brianna布雷克