A state of its own?
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Senior United Nations judges have ruled that Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia was "not illegal" in a decision seen as moving Pristina closer to full international recognition and eventually even a seat in the UN itself.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague today issued its long-awaited ruling on the legality of Kosovo's secession from Serbia. Ten of the ICJ's judges voted in favour of the decision; four were against it. The decision is, however, non-binding.
Pristina unilaterally declared independence from Belgrade in February 2008 after UN-brokered negotiations to resolve its future status broke down, prompting Belgrade to file a complaint with the ICJ.
Serbia argues that Kosovo's actions were unlawful and threaten its territorial sovereignty, but the Hague court today decided international law contained "no prohibition on declarations of independence".
Sixty-nine UN members have recognised Kosovo's independence, including many EU states, and Pristina hopes that today's ruling will encourage more to do so. It needs the recognition of two-thirds of the UN's 192 members if it is to get its own seat in the General Assembly.
But some major players, like Russia and China, have refused to acknowledge Kosovo so far and are unlikely to do so. These countries fear that such a move would fuel similar declarations of independence from their own secessionist territories.
While Pristina hailed today the verdict, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic gave a defiant reaction. "Serbia will never, under any circumstances recognise the unilateral declaration of independence of the so-called Republic of Kosovo," he told reporters outside the ICJ building in the Hague.
