Kosovo declares independence from Serbia

[The Dog]

PRISTINA, Kosovo (CNN) -- Kosovo has formally declared its independence from Serbia and become the world's newest state in a move opposed by Serbia and Russia but backed by many western governments.

Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci meets crowds in Pristina ahead of Sunday's vote

Lawmakers in the legislature of the former Serbian province approved the declaration of independence at an extraordinary session Sunday afternoon. It was read out in Albanian, Serbian and English by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci before the approval of state symbols including Kosovo's new national flag and anthem.

Thaci said that Kosovo was an "independent and democratic" state, adding: "From this day onwards, Kosovo is proud, independent and free."

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica promptly denounced the move.

"Citizens of Serbia, we have to come together and show the world that we do not acknowledge the creation of a false state on our territory," Kostunica said. "We will do our utmost to bring the province of Kosovo to where it rightfully belongs." He added, "As long as there are Serbian people, Kosovo is Serbian."

CNN's Alessio Vinci, reporting from Kosovo's capital of Pristina, said that thousands of Kosovar Albanians had braved the freezing wind and cold to sing, dance, wave flags in the streets and light firecrackers ahead of the much anticipated vote. Some revelers were even said to be firing guns skyward. "It's been like this for several hours now," he said. Video Watch celebrations in the streets of Pristina ?

"It's a day they have been waiting for for such a long time that many of them are trying to figure out just how they got to this day."

In Belgrade, Serbia's capital, riot police used flares and tear gas Sunday evening to disperse several hundred people protesting outside the U.S Embassy, said Time magazine's Dejan Anastajevic. Some of the protestors carried Serbian flags, and some threw things at the embassy, Anastajevic reported. Video from the scene also showed some demonstrators throwing things at police.

Video also showed one apparently injured police officer being taken to an ambulance.

President Bush said Sunday that Kosovo's status must be resolved before the Balkans can become stable and that the United States supports the Ahtisaari plan, which calls for a form of supervised independence.

The United Nations Security Council said it would hold an emergency session Sunday to discuss Kosovo's declaration, at Russia's request. Russia has also called for an open Security Council meeting on Monday so that Serbian President Boris Tadic can attend, Russia's ambassador to the U.N., Vitaly Churkin, said. He said that the Council was expecting a briefing from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday.

Russia -- Serbia's historic ally -- has remained opposed to Kosovo's independence. Russia, which has fought two wars against separatist rebels in its southwestern republic of Chechnya, has said that U.S. and European support for Kosovo's independence could lead to an "uncontrollable crisis" in the Balkans.

The European Union decided Saturday to launch a mission of about 2,000 police and judicial officers to replace the United Nations mission that has been controlling the province since the end of the war with Serbia in 1999.

Kosovo has been under U.N. supervision and patrolled by a NATO-led peacekeeping force since the end of the three-month war, in which NATO warplanes pounded Serbia to roll back a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" of the province's Albanian population under former President Slobodan Milosevic.

The disputed province is dear to the Serbs -- Orthodox Christians who regard it as Serbian territory. But it is equally coveted by Kosovo's ethnic Albanians -- Muslims who have a 90 percent majority. Two years of talks on its final status ended in failure last December.

"Its status must be resolved in order for the Balkans to be stable," Bush told reporters Sunday during a news conference in Tanzania.

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States was reviewing the situation.

Bush said the Ahtisaari plan -- named for former Finnish President Marti Ahtisaari -- is the best option. The proposal would give Kosovo limited statehood under international supervision.

Bush added that "it's in Serbia's interest to be aligned with Europe and the Serbian people can know that they have a friend in America."

"We are heartened by the fact that the Kosovo government has clearly proclaimed its willingness and its desire to support Serbian rights in Kosovo," Bush said.

Thaci said Thursday he would establish a new government office for minorities and it would protect the rights of minorities after the province declares independence.

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic has promised his country will refrain from using force against Kosovo after independence, though he has warned that Serbia will take punitive diplomatic, political, and economic measures against the province.

The EU said Saturday that "around 1,900 international police officers, judges, prosecutors and customs officials and approximately 1,100 local staff will be based in headquarters in Pristina or located throughout the judicial and police system in Kosovo."

The EU mission's objective is "to support the Kosovo authorities by monitoring, mentoring and advising on all areas related to the rule of law, in particular in the police, judiciary, customs and correctional

[The Dog]

Good for them    pretty awesome to see foreign people waving the US flag around.  Maybe everyone doesn't hate us so much after all 

[fuckin crazy]

I can declare The Republic Of Fuckedupistan right here in the heartland, but until I get formal recognition it doesn't mean crap.

Historically, this land is Serbian territory, and if Kosovo decides to go it alone, diplomatically, all peace keeping troops should be withdrawn.

[jarmo]

Good for them    pretty awesome to see foreign people waving the US flag around.  Maybe everyone doesn't hate us so much after all 

Remember who was president when the US (and NATO) helped Kosovo?

There's your answer to the whole "hate" thing.....


Good for the people of Kosovo.




/jarmo

[rockNroses]

Actually, this is not a good thing.

If Kosovo will be accepted by the majority of the EU, this will give wrong and dangerous example for other regions, especially former soviet republics.

If one by one declares independence, I doubt Russia is gonna sit and watch.

Let's hope all will stay calm and peaceful so neither EU, NATO or Russia will have to send any "peace troops".

[bolton]

Kosovo (Albanian: Kosova or Kosov?, Serbian: Косово, Kosovo) is a self-declared de facto independent republic in southeastern Europe. After international negotiations failed to reach a consensus on an acceptable constitutional status, Kosovo's provisional government unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008, terming itself as the Republic of Kosovo (Albanian: Republika e Kosov?s, Serbian: Република Косово, Republika Kosovo). The new state is anticipated to receive partial international recognition from several European countries, the United States and Japan[2] but to be opposed by Russia and People's Republic of China and without recognition by the United Nations. The Serbian government regards the territory as an integral part of Serbia, the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (Serbian: Аутономна покрајина Косово и Метохија, Autonomna pokrajina Kosovo i Metohija, also Космет, Kosmet; Albanian: Krahina Autonome e Kosov?s dhe Metohis?

what do you think about it?

[freedom78]

People will say it's "illegal."  But, almost every revolution or secession has been "illegal."  Those who don't support this one do so less of friendship to Serbia and more out of self-concern.  The countries that won't recognize Kosovo as a state are not in the least bit surprising, from that perspective.

[bolton]

Good for them    pretty awesome to see foreign people waving the US flag around.  Maybe everyone doesn't hate us so much after all 

Remember who was president when the US (and NATO) helped Kosovo?

There's your answer to the whole "hate" thing.....


Good for the people of Kosovo.




/jarmo

It's ballshit.
Us against world rules,against united nations make new country and take part of Serbia.
Historicly kosovo is part of Serbia since 1079.
On ksovo excist more 100 serbian cultural objects since 1100.
It's bad for Serbia and for whole world because now in thew world excist more than 100 separatistic organization.

[bolton]

In ksovo 50000 albanians take us flag,but in belgrade 1000000 milion people burn us flags.

[MJ23]

I think I understand what bolton is saying here:

As far as I know the province of Kosovo was always a vital part of Serbia i.e. Yugoslavia. And the "heart" of serbian cultural heritage is told to be there.
On the other hand we must know that the Kosovo-albanian people had a lot of rights during the time when Yugoslavia was one country. They had schools and universities where albanian was the used language and it was tolerated and allowed.

To me this one-sided declaration of independance is maybe a little bit dangerous, because it shows that if you run a terroristic organization (UCK aka KLA) will maybe give you an own state. And according to German intelligence reports even on the day when the bombing campaign in 99 started, KLA was classified as a terroristic group. Now all of sudden their leader, Thaci, is the PM. Ridiculous world.
On the one side we are fighting against terrorists, on the other side we are promoting them.

The 2nd danger is that other regions may follow: ETA in Spain/France; Chechnya; parts of Georgia (the country, not the US state); parts of Slovakia and Romania (where the majority is hungarian); Bosnia (Croats and Serbs may split from the country and join their homelands); Belgium; and so many others.
Plus according to a professor for international law, this declaration is a violation of UN resolution 1244:

taking full account of the Rambouillet accords and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the other countries of the region

Source: http://www.nato.int/Kosovo/docu/u990610a.htm

Whatever happens in that balkan region, I just hope that the people there will be able to look into a bright future. It doesn't matter on what side they live and what they are.

But international law should always be respected.

Just my two cents.

[Booker Floyd]

Remember who was president when the US (and NATO) helped Kosovo?

There's your answer to the whole "hate" thing.....


Good for the people of Kosovo.

Actually, Albania has great appreciation for George W. Bush as well. 

[DarkFairy]

yay!!      I wish my albanian ex was alive to celebrate 

[jarmo]

Us against world rules,against united nations make new country and take part of Serbia.
Historicly kosovo is part of Serbia since 1079.
On ksovo excist more 100 serbian cultural objects since 1100.
It's bad for Serbia and for whole world because now in thew world excist more than 100 separatistic organization.

I'm from Finland.

Finland was part of Sweden until 1809 when Russia took over. Finland became an independent country in 1917.

By that logic, Finland shouldn't be an independent country.




/jarmo

[fuckin crazy]

I'm from Finland.

Finland was part of Sweden until 1809 when Russia took over. Finland became an independent country in 1917.

By that logic, Finland shouldn't be an independent country.




/jarmo

I think a better analogy would be if Lappland declared it's independence; would it be condidered legal?

[freedom78]

Us against world rules,against united nations make new country and take part of Serbia.
Historicly kosovo is part of Serbia since 1079.
On ksovo excist more 100 serbian cultural objects since 1100.
It's bad for Serbia and for whole world because now in thew world excist more than 100 separatistic organization.

I'm from Finland.

Finland was part of Sweden until 1809 when Russia took over. Finland became an independent country in 1917.

By that logic, Finland shouldn't be an independent country.




/jarmo

Agreed!  Get back in Sweden, young man! 

[jarmo]

I'm from Finland.

Finland was part of Sweden until 1809 when Russia took over. Finland became an independent country in 1917.

By that logic, Finland shouldn't be an independent country.




/jarmo

I think a better analogy would be if Lappland declared it's independence; would it be condidered legal?

Lapland is part of like three or four countries.


But if you mean Finnish Lapland, I guess it could be.


But it's not like there's animosity between the Finnish and the Sami people due to conflicts in the past.





/jarmo

[LeftToDecay]

I think a better analogy would be if Lappland declared it's independence; would it be condidered legal?

What sort of an independence declaration do you consider legal? One that no major power within the proximity of said independence declarer  disagrees with?.p



According to moral compass of vast majority of people everywhere, Albanians desserve their own country.

The entire ex-yugoslavia is basically one hopeless clusterfuck that spawns an international crisis of varying degree every few decades. Which is easier than in a while again, thanks to panslavinism becoming more and more hip in Russia and all.
...but still, yay for Kosovo

[fuckin crazy]

What sort of an independence declaration do you consider legal? One that no major power within the proximity of said independence declarer  disagrees with?.p

You can call it an independence declaration, but in reality it is an insurrection supported by treason. International law is clear on the matter.

According to moral compass of vast majority of people everywhere, Albanians desserve their own country.

The Abanians do have do have their own country ... Albania.

The entire ex-yugoslavia is basically one hopeless clusterfuck that spawns an international crisis of varying degree every few decades.

That is a separate issue. Bosnia, Macedonia, Croatia, and to a lesser extent Montenegro are not historically Serbian territory. Kosovo has been a part of Serbia since at least the Crusades.

It is the Ottoman Huns that created the "clusterfuck" in that part of the world, and their is no reason that the offspring from that progenitor should derive any of the fruits of that failed empire.

If the ethnic albanians want independence, let the people of the region decide without collusion from outside forces.

[MJ23]

It seems that at least someone knows about European history.

I totally agree with you.

[LeftToDecay]

If the ethnic albanians want independence, let the people of the region decide without collusion from outside forces.

You are asking a lot.
There aren't many independence declarations in history that  hadn't prelude meddling  by "outside forces"
It takes very stable state/region/what have ya to switch from  a state to sovereign nation without outside "meddling".