"Damned Silly Thing" in the Balkans

There was a commentary in the Globe & Mail titled "Keep an eye on that 'damned silly thing' in Kosovo" by the former Canadian ambassador to Yugoslavia.  It talks about the referendum in Serbia and the latest news that special representative Ahtisaari is getting ready to deliver (or has delivered) his report to the UN suggesting a roadmap for Kosovo for two years to statehood.  There continues to be conflicting statements made by EU and UN officials about the conclusion of the status talks.  EU officials want elections to be set in Serbia so that ultra-nationalists that are likely to gain support should Serbia lose Kosovo do not take over the country.  UN and US officials are pushing to conclude the status negotiations (which is quite a humorous title to what has mostly been like two kids playing tug-of-war with a favored toy) by the end of 2006.