I. RT - Serbia softens stance on Kosovo
Serbia is dropping a challenge to Kosovo's independence at the United Nations: Belgrade has removed the section of a UN resolution that called Kosovo's secession "unacceptable". The move is being seen as a compromise that boosts the Balkan nation's hopes of joining the European Union. However, political writer Diana Johnstone says the new version of the resolution sounds more like Serbia’s complete surrender to the European Union’s wishes, than like compromise. Anti-war.com columnist Nebojsa Malic believes that the move will fatally undermine the credibility of the Serbian government in the eyes of fellow Serbs. For Serbia, Johnstone explained, this is not a question of gaining something, but a question of being afraid to lose even more than it has already lost. “There are secessionist movements that are easy to stimulate from outside – in Vojvodina, in Raska – which can be stimulated by an agent, and Serbia is just swarming with agents… I think they were more afraid of losing something… In fact they didn’t gain anything. The European Union gave nothing in exchange for this, as usual, and now they’re asking for more,” she said. Still, the issue is far from the end, Johnstone said; Serbia is in a difficult position. It is not exactly occupied, but it is surrounded and sort of occupied, and any leader that would openly take into consideration Serbia’s interests is condemned as nationalist by the Western media. “So it’s essentially very difficult for the Serbian voters to have any other policy other than the policy that is essential dictated by the United States and the European Union,” she concluded. The Kosovo parliament declared the region’s independence in 2008. Serbia still has not recognized it, nor has Russia, China, Cyprus and Greece. However, 69 countries did recognize Kosovo as a para-state, and the West has been mildly pressuring Serbia to surrender their efforts to regain control over the territory.
II. B92 - Greek position on Kosovo unchanged
Greece has stated that its position on Kosovo is well known and that it remains stable, Greek media have reported. “We will continue to invest efforts, together with our European Union partners, aiming at the European integration of the region,” spokesman of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs Grigoris Delavekouras told a press conference. He said earlier that the draft resolution agreed on by Serbia and the EU is an important development of events that confirms the stance and efforts that Greece has invested in finding a solution for Kosovo that would be based on a consensus. Serbia's European path was confirmed once again, and that is a key element of the solution for Kosovo, Serbia and the region as a whole, said Delavekouras.
The proposal of Cyprus Republic President Demetris Christofias concerning the future of Varosha (a quarter in the occupied Cypriot city of Famagusta) and the seaport of Famagusta can provide considerable momentum to the negotiating process and create the preconditions that will boost Turkey's European prospect by opening new chapters, foreign ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras said on Thursday. Referring to the visit to Cyprus by Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas, he said that it was "very important", bearing a "strong symbolism", and added that its goal was substantive in a crucial conjuncture when good coordination is necessary before making the next steps. "President Christofias' initiatives show the way to a solution for the Cyprus issue," he said. "Any progress in the EU accession course for the neighbouring country (Turkey) is unthinkable if no progress is made in the Cyprus issue. If Turkey wants, according to official statements, to see a progress being made in the Cyprus issue now is the chance to prove it by responding to the proposal," he added. Delavekouras pointed out that the messages (by Turkey) received so far are negative, adding that there is a "distance between rhetoric and deeds." He also reminded that Turkey has occupation troops on the island, stressing that the Cyprus problem is a problem of invasion and occupation.
IV. KATHIMERINI - Captive sailors in poor health
Giorgos Skalimis, the 63-year-old Greek captain of a Saudi Arabian-flagged ship taken hostage by Somali pirates in March off the Gulf of Aden, is being detained in dire conditions by his captors and has been refused the medicine he requires for his high blood pressure and sugar levels, the captain’s wife has told Kathimerini. “The pirates have taken his phone and only allow us to speak to him for one minute every 20 days,” Maria Skalimi said. She added that the 63-year-old, and the 13-strong crew, who are all Sri Lankans, have been living in unsanitary conditions, sleeping on the deck of the vessel even amid storms and not being allowed to wash. According to her most recent conversation with the captain, some of the crew members are near comatose due to malnutrition. Mrs Skalimi said she believed the ransom for the release of the vessel has been collected but has yet to be disbursed due to administrative obstacles.
Russia's Mission Control says an unmanned cargo ship has blasted off successfully on a mission to deliver supplies for the international space station crew. It said that the Progress M-07M spacecraft lifted off Friday from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It's set to dock at the station Sunday. The Progress is carrying more than 2.5 metric tons of food, water, oxygen fuel and other supplies for the station's crew. It will also deliver letters from home and some new movies for the crew of six. The space outpost is manned by U.S. astronauts Shannon Walker, Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Douglas Wheelock and Russians Alexander Skvortsov, Mikhail Kornienko and Fyodor Yurchikhin.
VI. FLORIDATODAY - Labor chief cited for farm worker support
One woman continued to pick tomatoes as she finished high school and college before earning a master's degree. Another woman who told of her arms aching from helping harvest watermelons as a 7-year-old now helps farm workers get education and job training. Another was able to trade the fields for a 30-year career at a community college. U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis heard those tales Thursday as examples of what the National Farmworker Jobs Program can accomplish. "I had no idea this program would have this effect of my life. It changed my life," said Shelia Dixon, who has had a variety of administrative and teaching jobs at Seminole State College of Florida. Solis was in Melbourne as the first recipient of the Farmworker Fighter award for her support of programs for farm workers. "I think you all deserve the Farmworker Fighter award," Solis said to audience members, who work for agencies that serve farm workers. "I'd like to give you a round of applause." The award was presented by the National Farmworkers Jobs Program of Florida and Florida's Association to Link Advocacy and Support for Farmworkers. The groups offer a variety of educational, vocational training and other services to farm workers in the state. They were in Melbourne for an annual meeting and staff development training. "This job is so rewarding," said Carol Heard, the jobs program coordinator for Orange and Lake counties and herself the child of farm workers. "I am thankful every day for the opportunity to work with this program."
VII. CNN - That other worship space at ground zero
CNN’s Mary Snow is filing a story tonight on the Situation Room about St. Nicholas Church, the only church destroyed at ground zero on 9/11. She filed this report from New York. You can watch Mary’s piece on the Situation Room today on CNN between 5pm-7pm EST and tell us what you think. Here in New York City, there’s been much focus on the Cordoba House that’s near ground zero, but did you know there was a church destroyed on 9/11 that has yet to be rebuilt? St Nicholas is a Greek Orthodox Church. It was a tiny three-story church that sat on a lot 22 feet by 50 feet in the shadow of the south tower at the World Trade Center site. When the tower fell it crushed the church building. Rebuilding efforts have gone nowhere. The church has been negotiating with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for years, but both sides accuse the other of walking away from negotiations. The Port Authority says, in essence, that a window has passed for the church to rebuild at a nearby location with tens of millions of dollars of public money because construction at a security center at ground zero couldn’t wait. Now, if the church wants to rebuild at its original location, it’ll have to wait until 2013, when construction is complete. What do you think? Should a third party get involved to find a solution? To read more about St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, please visit StNicholasNYC.com.