ICJ ruling on Kosovo sparks international reaction

23/07/2010

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands -- Much of the West is reacting to the International Court of Justice's advisory ruling Thursday (July 22nd), which upheld the legality of Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia. The court ruled the declaration did not violate international law.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton suggested that Pristina and Belgrade use this as a catalyst for dialogue, assisted by the Union. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the ICJ opinion will not affect KFOR's mission in Kosovo. According to media reports, the United States has asked European nations to "unite" behind the ICJ's non-binding ruling. The foreign ministers of France and the UK, Bernard Kouchner and William Hague, invited countries that have not recognised Kosovo yet to do so. Russia, however, said the ruling would not change Moscow's stance against Kosovo's independence. (Koha Ditore, Zeri, Express, Telegrafi - 23/07/10; RTK, Tanjug, B92, RTS, AFP, BBC - 22/07/10)

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