Kosovo gets UN backing

Serbia says never recognize Kosovo:

THE NETHERLANDS: The UN’s top court gave legal backing Thursday to Kosovo’s 2008 independence declaration, saying it conformed to international law as Serbia insisted it would never recognize the move.

The non-binding finding was greeted with euphoria among Kosovo’s majority ethnic Albanian population, who hooted car horns in delight while their President said it removed the last vestiges of doubt over independence. But Serbian President Boris Tadic said Serbia would never recognise Kosovo’s independence, while his Foreign Minister appealed to the minority Serb community concentrated in the north of Kosovo to remain calm.

“Serbia of course will never recognize the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo because it believes that unilateral, ethnically motivated secession is not in accordance with the principles of the United Nations,” Tadic said.

The United States welcomed the move, while Serb ally Russia said its stance against Kosovo’s self-declared independence would not change. The United Nations, for its part, warned against “provocative” actions after the verdict, while the European Union offered to broker dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.

“By 10 votes to four, (the court) is of the opinion that the declaration of independence of Kosovo adopted on 17 February 2008 did not violate international law,” ICJ president Hisashi Owada told a crowded courtroom in The Hague.

“General international law contains no applicable prohibition of declarations of independence.” THE HAGUE, Friday, AFP