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Update on the Republic of Kosovo |
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Written by Xavier
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Monday, 01 September 2008 |
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 From the Desk of Martti Laine, OH2BH
For immediate release
September 1, 2008
UPDATE ON THE REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO
Many have been wondering what the status with regard to the Republic of Kosovo is as of today, both in general and in amateur radio terms specifically.
Substantial progress has been made, and a new approach to get Kosovo
totally on its own feet is well on its way. The United Nations (UNMIK)
has scaled down its administrative role while the European Union
(EULEX) has initiated its supporting role to help integrate the
"interim administration" functions into the local institutions.
The United Nations Frequency Management Office (FMO) is one of those
local institutions. This Office was responsible for authorizing Amateur
Radio operations before and after the Kosovar declaration of
independence, but as of today the FMO does not exist nor are licenses
issued. You may still hear some stations operating as YU8 since those
licenses issued in the past have not been specifically terminated.
Undoubtedly, Kosovo as a "country" has all required country requirements;
(A)
a defined territory, (B) a permanent population and (C) a government
and (D) is capable of interacting with other countries with whom it has
established diplomatic relations. As of today, the Republic of Kosovo
is recognized by 46 countries representing many leading states and all
geographical continents.
From an Amateur Radio and DXCC
perspective, a great deal of confusing discussion has taken place; one
side argues that the DXCC criteria needs to be honored at all times.
Others see the criteria as not being engraved on a tablet of stone but
that the rules facilitate "entities" dynamically in the
context of an ever-changing world. Both views have some merit and should be appreciated.
Western
Sahara (SO), another disputed DXCC country, is currently recognized by
48 countries and even today it is not a member of the United Nations
nor does it have a dedicated ITU prefix. At the time Amateur Radio
entered this desert country, no one had argued that it belonged to
DXCC. When Swains Island was up for DXCC discussion it was decided that
the DXCC criteria had to be changed and so Swains entered the scene. Swains was added not decades ago - but just recently.
Before
Swains Island, DXCC used three "measuring sticks"; UN membership, ITU
prefix or IARU society. In facilitating Swains, the ARRL Board of
Directors decided to keep the UN and ITU parts but changed the IARU
rule to recording of an event by the US Department of State, which
again opened up another gate for more DXCC entities.
Now Kosovo
meets the highest US Department of State criteria - Kosovo is an
independent state recognized by the United States and easily passes the
US State Department gate, if that gate is honored in the right spirit.
With DXCC rules in place as they existed before Swains, Kosovo would
enter through the IARU gate because of its permanent amateur radio
population and iits national society, SHRAK.
The above is just an illustration of the dynamics of the DXCC at any given time, following the dynamics of the world.
The
world outside Kosovo abounds with many other examples that offer a
slightly different perspective in the international arena. Another
oft-mentioned entity - Northern Cyprus - is recognized only by Turkey,
and the situation regarding Cyprus remains deadlocked. Two new cases -
South Ossetia and Abkhazia - are recognized by the Russian Federation
and probably soon by Belarus (EW) and Venezuela (YV). If they ever
achieve wider recognition apart from the countries subject to the
current conflict, they will become another set of DXCC candidates.
An
immediate UN membership gate is pointed more in the direction of those
that get themselves established with no gun fire. The UN's potential
for resolving conflicts to its own satisfaction is seriously hampered
by the Security Council veto structure that plays a major role in
eliminating new
countries at that gate.
So, the ARRL is left
to define a workable recognition based country criteria - be it
qualitative and/or quantitative. Kosovo with its almost 50 recognitions
is the first one at the gate. Delaying action on the Republic of Kosovo
so that it does not qualify for anything is not an option for the ARRL.
Kosovo is a country with a permanent amateur radio population and
therefore Kosovar amateurs should be welcomed to our community.
Back
to the practical world; YU8/OH2R QSLs for the first amateur radio
operation from the Republic of Kosovo were printed last week by
Gennady, UX5UO and they will be in the mails in a few days. We thank
Gennady for his efforts and support in making these full-color cards meet the spirit of the
Kosovo
case as they represent a special moment for those involved with the
Kosovo project and those who follow world events as well as the
development of the DXCC program.
You can view these cards at http://www.dailydx.com/Kosovo.htm
You may read more about YU8/OH2R and Kosovo at www.n4gn.com/yu8/
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 30 September 2008 )
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