Germany to recognise new Kosovo passports

13/08/2008

PRISTINA, Kosovo -- Germany announced on Tuesday (August 12th) that it will recognise the new passports being issued by Kosovo. Authorities there began distributing them on July 30th, a day described as "historic" by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. Before that, UNMIK had been issuing passports and identification cards. Germany is among the 40 countries to recognise Kosovo's independence.

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic has been waging a diplomatic offensive against that. He announced on Tuesday that Singapore will back Belgrade's effort to seek the opinion of the International Court of Justice regarding Kosovo's independence at a UN General Assembly session in New York next month. Both Singapore and Malaysia, Jeremic's previous stop on his tour, support Serbia's position. (Tanjug, New Kosova Report, B92, Telegrafi - 12/08/08)