I ask seriously: does land should belong to people who first come to live there or the currently major ethnic group? ‘To allow uncontrolled immigration that leads to part a country breaking away under its own independence once a majority of immigrants settle there’? Enlightening idea from George from London! It’s easy job for we Chinese people (we are so many hahaha:-) – all we need to do is keep moving down under and believe me it won’t take long for us to occupy Australia… Why not? The USA was built in this way over two hundred years ago, wasn’t it? And just out of curiosity, will that be how England have a declaration of independents from the Celtic and the Welsh?...

GarboFour, Beijing, China

As for Hung from Kuala Lumpur, I cannot understand why you are surprised that Taiwan people speak Chinese. What does the language do here!? If that would be so, Austria should be part of Germany all along… As a Mainland Chinese, I am told that Taiwan people want to see Taiwan ‘returning’ as a province of China. But apparently quite many of them, just like Jim from Taipei, don’t like this idea at all (how embarrassing...)

I’m neither quite happy nor sad about this news because I don’t take sides in Serbian v. Albanian conflicts. I just hope all people in Kosovo gain real peace and welfare which they are bereft of for too long. Bless you all…

GarboFour, Beijing, China

I support the Serbians and Putin too on this question. As a Catholic, the destruction of Serbian monasteries and churches, many of them very many centuries old, by the Albanians living in the Serbian province of Kosovo, is an outrage and someone needs to answer for it. It has not been covered by the Islamic Broadcasting Corporation (formerly called the BBC) nor by any other of the western press, which is a scandal. I am behind my Orthodox brothers and sisters on this question - it is appalling. Let's just imagine that moslems in England start demolishing our glorious Catholic cathedrals (now unfortunately controlled by the Anglican "ecclesial community") - what we would do? We would go to war, that's what we would do. And sorrowfully i believe that the Serbs have the same moral right as we would have in the same situation. International law gets trashed and a thousand years of Christian Civilisation with it. And the EU is the perpetrator - that tells us all we need to know.

Benedict Carter, Moscow, Russia

We will never accept the independence of Kosovo, our children will never accept it and there is nothing you can do about it. Our ancestors gave their lives and blood for that land. We will wait like so many times in history for the right moment to take back what is our's. Now they have strong allies, but that will change eventualy. That is the second time that usa directly support's muslim interest and pay their goals with our territory. When they can play dirty game so can we, just wait few year's. When our allies take better positions, that is the time when we will do the same thing's albanians do to us today. This is not the end of this story this is only resumption of an old struggle.

Nemanja, Belgrade, Serbia

USA,UK and other European country's, just CORRECT the MISTAKE they did after WW1.When they cut of KOSOVA from ALBANIA.As for the rest of you that are pro Serbija i fill sorry because you all don't know the truth and the story that you all know is the one who winners allways do.But from today for the first time in history WE ARE THE WINNERS and WE are going to write the story.So please don't write just read and understand that everything is going just un the right place.

Ervin,Albanian, Bagram, Afghanistan

The ex British soldier from Pristina says.
"NATO intervention in 1999 was another example of removing a brutal regime from power and trying to install a democracy. The fact that NATO troops were deployed to support Muslim people and remove a Christian oppressor surely demonstrates that NATO is not involved in a battle of Chrsitianity vs Islam."

You are right, NATO used Serbia and Kosovo as a place to show support for Muslims because they don't really care what happens to Serbs but it builds a bridge between the US and the Muslim world as a way of saying we may be slaughtering Muslim men, women in children in Iraq but look over in Kosovo.... see... see how we help the Muslim. It is a farce and I feel sorry for the Serbs in the region as they are the ones who have clearly been ethnically cleansed from the region. The West has been duped big time! By the way does this mean Bush will get his stolen watch back???

k, london, UK

Many of you clearly dont understand the history of kosovo you are basing the justice of independent kosovars because of there "descendents" illyirians?! Do you realize in that case Hungary can declare kosovo theirs! Or in that matter to declare every part of land surrounding Hungary's borders......Or that matter is it fair for the many mexicans that populated the southern states in American to declare it their own state!?!? And how can you justify that Albanian Kosovars rightfully own Kosovo when just 10 years ago they where minority .....People you need to look beyond propganda and what media feeds into your heads and understand this is a very primitve act they would be better off staying with Serbia and going foward to a union .... primitive and uneducated people feed for revenge...did they even think what their future holds in a state where there is more than 50% unemployment? This is disasterous Serbia you are better off without them atleast you can look foward to rising above!

Andrea, Budapest,

It is sad and ignorant for certain countries to accept Kosovo as a independent state.
It has nothing to do with the freedom of the people but a political stand for foreign country investors to go into Kosovo and exploit it's rich mineral reserves for their own pockets.
If the US really wants to help people in so called repressed countries why do they not help the people in places like Darfur where people are being killed in huge numbers. They have no gain in going to Darfur so why help!
Albanian's have been migrating to Kosovo illegally for years and killing Serbian people so that they where forced to leave the region.
So this RUBBISH about the Serbian people mistreating the Albanian's ,has no relevance here.
The Serbian people gave the Albanian's all their own schools, mosques, government and freedom to live in Kosovo as part of Serbia. No this was not enough Albanian's wanted the area as their own country.
What will happen to those Serbian people still in Kosovo? To bad for them.

Paul, New York, USA

Good news for Northern Ireland!

Jerry, Edinburgh,

Having been involved with Kosovo for some time and seen first hand the way the serbians have behaved towards the kosovans. I can only congratulate the brave people of Kosovo for thier patience. And it is inevitable that freedom will alway prevail over persecution. Kosovo i have no doubt will prove itself to be worthy of our support.

stuart burns, leeds, yorkshire

I think it's great. I think it's the first real step towards peace in the region in over a decade. Sure we never see the fighting there on the news anymore, but tensions still run very high over there. Its great to have a group of people willing to stand up and say they will not be held down anymore.
Even if at some point, the EU does declare this declaration unlawful, the Kosovans have been heard the world over and we alll now know that the lovely people of Kosovo want thier own government. I believe as Charles DuGalle, "there are moments when the will of a handful of free men breaks through determinism and opens up new roads." Kosovo has opened up new roads to the rest of the world to be counted along sides one of the greatest groups in the world, a group simply known as: The Free

Trent, Roscommon, Ireland

to Endri, Oxford,
Who has ever said that Montenegro, Macedonia, or any other country belong or ever had to Serbia? Tell me, where have you read it, really, honestly, I would like to see it!!!!
Maybe You have forgotten some historical facts about all these countries, that You are writing about, including Serbia. It seems, You have also forgotten WHEN these countries were ESTABLISHED and when they decided to associate and establish Yugoslavia. Also, you have forgotten what TERRITORY each of them was spreading above. At the end, You have forgotten HOW each of them has become independent. It's obvious You have forgotten all these fact, because otherwise You wouldn't compare legitimate countries (that were independent - then became the members of confederacy - and after decay of it, again independent single countries) with the part of one country (and that part of country has had the status of autonomus province, since always).

Bojana, Novi Sad, Srbija

It is so unfortunate to read such comments based on so shallow knowledge about the decendents of one of the oldest nations in Europe,- the Illyrians. Develop your knowledge on history of this nation first, so then you can make an informed comment as to why Independence for Kosovo. Contemporary Islamophobia is not short of nonsence. It is just that the Kosovan people and Kosovo needn't have been in a situation of seeking independence from the Former Yougoslavia at all. The Great Powers sold Kosovo and its native population- the albanians in 1913 to satisfy Russia' s cousins, the Serbs. So todays developments should not be a surprise to anyone. IT'S JUST A CORRECTION OF AN OLD INJUSTICE DONE TO kOSOVO ALBANIANS. It is an understatement to say that Kosovo Albanians just deserve to have their independent state. As for fears of a later Greater Albania, let the Kosovo Albanian people decide its own perspectives. That happened in Germany, didn't it? ENJOY YOUR INDEPENDENCE KOSOVANS!!!!!!!!

Peter, Manchester, United Kingdom

One thing must be clearly stated that an Independent Kosovo will be a democratic, sovereign, peaceful and a secular state. Confusions regarding creating a muslim extremist state in the heart Europe are just part of a misconception. Kosovars are the least religious people among the Muslim Community in the world, therefore arguing that religious tension will be present in Kosovo is utterly fallacious. Most of the EU will recognise a secular, pro-euroatlantic state, where democracy will be ruling. Today is the day when the fiasco of the so-called Yugoslavia comes to a halt. This is the day when the world recognises the rights for freedom and self-determination of a 2 million nation. Today is the day when the world condemns masters of ethnic cleansing, genocide, violence, fear and discrimination. A new state is born today, Kosovo moves on today by opening a new white page. Voice of 2 million people today is officially heard!

Kreshnik Hoxha, Hull, United Kingdom

Those with the belief that the battles in Iraq and Afghanistan are wars against Muslims or conquests to plunder oil fields seem to forget the situation in Kosovo.

NATO intervention in 1999 was another example of removing a brutal regime from power and trying to install a democracy. The fact that NATO troops were deployed to support Muslim people and remove a Christian oppressor surely demonstrates that NATO is not involved in a battle of Chrsitianity vs Islam.

ex British soldier in Pristina 1999, Watford,

Doru (Bucharest),

Your Northern Ireland analogy is way off. Northern Ireland, like Kosovo, is indeed a small territory at the centre of a centuries-old territorial debate. Like Kosovo, there are two main ethnic groups, neither of whom can accept life under the 'mother' state identified with by the other group.

The solution: Give Northern Ireland autonomous government and create a political entity that will hopefully become completely self governing. It will be run for the benifit of its own people, not for the partisan beliefs of those in Ireland or the UK.

This is exactly what is happening in Kosovo. Our concern as an international community should be to make sure that the Kosovar Serbs are treated with fairness and equality, hopefully witihn a secular state. I repeat - Kosovo will never exist peacefully if it is subject to either Serbian OR Albanian (state) rule.

Chayim, I take it you believe that being moslem is acceptable grounds for denying statehood?

Tobi, Bournemouth, UK

Thank God for Spain who have had the courage to say NO and not kowtow to the US wishes.
I wonder if the UK will be so quick to allow N. Ireland, Wales & Scotland to cecede from the Union or the US will grant the same independence to Hawaii, Alaska, California or Florida all of whom may consider it in the future.

George, Glasgow, UK

As for the Serbs, well, they know where they came from,Steppes of Russia, about 1000 years ago.
We Albanians gave them Christianity,they were wild people, real animals to say the least. when they came to the Albanian lands of Serbia.
Not only that Kosova was Albanian,but up to 6 century all of the Balkans was populated mostly by the Albanian Catholic Christians.Juts ask the Croats, they know the history very well.
Serbia is a very small country, take way Vojvodina, which is Hungarian, take way Banata which is Romanian,take way Sanchak which is Albanian, what is Serbia worth/? Nothing.

For the Serbs they should go back to Russia,there they have plenty of land, Russia needs more people,it can add another 3-4 million Real Serbian criminals to their falling population.
Their first king was Albanian, Nemaja. They never had anything what can be called Serbian, except killing other people, this is the only thing that the Serbs can call theirs and be proud of.
Who is a Serb? No more,gone.

vespasianus, Paramus n.j, United States

Could it be that the US deliberately tries to foster conflict? After all they supported the Bosnian Muslims against the Serbs and Croats despite the fact that the Mujahadin were fighting for the Bosnians. Now most investment in Bosnia comes from the US's old pals Saudi Arabia. Wonder what deals went on under the table? Want to bet we will soon see Saudi money going into Kosovo?
So one has to ask WHY would the US support not one but TWO Muslim countries in Europe. Well the US hates the idea of the EC and it's trading power so what better way to disrupt it than to have a couple of potentially dangerous countries right on their doorstep?

George, Glasgow, UK

There is little to be glad about in this.

We have the birth of one more uneconomic, inefficient mini-state.

The problems between Serbs and Albanian-origin people does not go away at all, Kosovo having a large minority of Serbs.

And the independence violates international law concerning a conquored province.

One can only hope a stronger EU will provide the scale and fabric necessary for Kosovo to be anything but another hopeless enclave.

John Chuckman, toronto, Canada

Kosovo was officially part of serbian teritory from 1208.-a couple of centuries before America was even found, those are undeniable facts, my dear historians...And it is shame that i saw serbian monasteries ruined and bombed in kosovo just few years ago by albanians, orthodox priests,serbs killed and etc...They are trying to erase everything that is serbian-they can try as long as they want to,material things are easy ruined but serbian spirit will be there for good since it is the heart of serbia and is symbol of its cultural and religious identity...Shame on EU for trying to create great Albania,nice indeed....

Hulio Cruz, Barcelona, Spain

We have seen the modern days blood thirsty serbs, who killed innocent civilian just to save a artificial state rose from the ashes of WW1. People of Kosovo has at last got their aspired freedom of 2000 years.
Long live Kosovo.

Kamal, London, UK

Now that the U.S. Government and the European Union have just created another Moslem state, then it is time to leave us Israelis alone. The last thing the world needs is two new Moslem states. After all, Al Qaeda's whole point to advance Islam against the West. Two new states will just prove to Al Qaeda's followers and fellow-travelers that they are on the right track. Especially, when in the West the Anglican bishop in Britain is saying they should adopt Sharia.

Chayim Phillips, Jerusalem, Israel

They have independence, but what kind of independence? they need the support of the EU for all. Scotland, Wales, Catalunya or the Basque country have more governement than Kosovo...

they said it is a demand for thousand years.....should we return to medieval ages? to the old borders? Al- andalus is also a demand for some terrorist groups.......should we give it as a present?

Ralph, Berlin, Germany

I wish to the glorius UK like the Northern Ireland to became one day a part and to unify with Ireland. I will be curious if, in that day, the journalist from The Times will salute the new born nations with the same word as today, when they speak about Kosovo. I will sugest you the title: ‘We never lost faith in the dream we would stand near Ireland". This is the point of view of a romanian journalist. Which rights had NATO and USA to bomb Serbia in 1999. The same rights with thats used in Irak? Are we living in the XXI century or in prehistory? It's a shame for the countries who pretend that they invented democracy.

Doru Cireasa, Bucharest, Romania

Congratulations to the people of Kosovo. For all those recycling the ridiculous story of Albanian refugees taking over a sovereign territory, take your head out of your serbian high school textbook and read some real history.

Albanian Kosovars trace their roots back to the Illyrian civilisation which thrived in the area before Serbia even existed. Serbia invaded Kosovo, and was then pushed out by the Ottomans ( including Albanians), before annexing the territory after WWI. The truth is that Albanians and Serbians have been fighting over this piece of land for a thousand years. The only solution is for all ethnic groups to share a state, independent of Serbia, and independent of any greater Albania.

As for Hung in Kuala Lumpur - if we follow your spurious logic, neither the USA nor Australia are independent of England.

For Dave of Burnley and those others who wish to use this story as a cheap shot at the scots, you may be more at home on the Daily Mail site.

Tobi, Bournemouth, UK

The U.S., who want us to believe they lead the fight against terrorism, have once again contradicted themselves by recognising a state that has been formed by the victory of a "guerrilla" group (a Euphemism for a terrorist organization), the KLA, lead by Mr. Hashim Thaci, that became "democratic" once it had obtained victory. This sends out the wrong message to other potential states that are trying to gain independence on the back of armed action. Maybe the Albanian American votes count a lot more than the Serb American ones in the next U.S. election. The independence of Kosovo is just the beginning of the problem. Remember that the KLA propose the unification of all albanian populated areas into one state (Greater Albania). This is similar to Slobodan Milosevic Greater Serbia. Consequently, the next step would be for Albania and Kosovo to unite in one state and later reclaim parts of Montenegro, parts of Macedonia, Southern Epirus -Greece, and the Presevo Valley. I hope I am wrong.

Robert, San Sebastian, Euskadi / Spain

we were waiting for this day for more than 2 thousand years and all the Albanians are happy for this day.Albanian people are very thank to Uk,U.S.A and Europe.we appreciate you very much.

shpetim, gjakova, kosova

Hypocrisy of the West at its best! It's comforting to know, though, that there are some very insightful people who fully comprehend the situation.

Ivana, Brussels,

I can explain ALL the hatred against Kosovo/Albania in one word "Islamophobia" ? Now, just imagine if these people were Jewish declaring independence of their god's chosen land ?

jayil, london, uk

Jim of Taipei

If Taiwan is independent, why are the people there using the chinese language, practise chinese customs, eat chinese food, and visit mainland China?

Hung, Kuala Lumpur,

People who did not experience war do not know what these means. We deserve to be FREE. We were supressed for so long from Serbs that the feeling we have these days is so hard to express with words.
KOSOVA IS BORN TODAY.


Happy Independence Day.
p.s. those who know nothing about Kosova's history, pls read history books before you post messages that show how ignorant you are. There is nation that suffered and that is free now. Everyone who values freedom should be happy today.

Shkurte Krasniqi Prishtina, Kosova

Shkurte, Prishtina, Kosova

A dangerous signal to the EU!
Somebody has told us that the Kosovo was not a Serbian territory until 1914, but another story can provide us more information.
Kosovo was a undoubted territory of the kingdom of Serbia until the invasion of the Turks.
The deeds of some Albanians seem like that they drove away the previous hosts of the land after succeeding in entering the land which NEVER belongs to them!
I feel the independence of Kosovo more of a curse......
DO NOT admit this unlawful independence, such will set an extremely awful in the world and such separate forces as Catalonia, Basque, Corse will find good excuses.

Francois, Shanghai, China

First the Roman Empire, than the Ottoman Empire and now the faded Slavic asspirations!Who is next???
Well, it doesnt matter, we will prevail, not because we are better than the rest, only because we are fighting to survive and this is an instinct you can not defeat.
As always, doesn't matter what the religion, the world must understand our first religion is 'to be albanian' and the rest of religions come and go............

Erion, Kuwait-Tirane-Oxford-Prishtine, Uk

After living a massacre that the century has't seen a comparable one on the lands where they belong to before the eyes of humanity, they knew how to stand one. I congratulate you for your independence and understanding of freedom brother Kosovars!

serdengecti, ankara, Turkey

how long before the towns near the serb border are full of kosovo's serbs and want to rejoin, a wish in which they will have as much right as the albanians in serbia yesterday who are now in kosovo.

Belgrades nationalists won't allow Kosovo to join albania which they will want to as soon as the EU leave, this will just lead to a serbian albanian war.

Steven Bainbridge, derby, UK

Kosovo is not independence country. Serbia was killed today, but Serbs are live. Remember that.

Sasa, Zvornik, Republika Srpska

And so begins the ethnic and religious cleansing. Once again the West has condemned a Christian state to the sword, its ancient churches to destruction, its priests to the bullet and it’s faithful to the hangman's noose. Oh! Sorry I forgot their Christian Orthodox and therefore don't count.
Congratulations you've done it again.

harding, reading, UK

within any given population,certain differences always exist.....what if now the the 6 ethnic tribes of the new nation want to break apart?.........there is no end to fragmentation until we reach an unsustainable size.but when 95%of kosovians wants independance...it is ok ..............but isnt is easier to live in a bigger country and enjoy both benifits.............................................for eg
look at pathetic bengalis of bangladesh and pujabis of pakistan..............that broke apart from india after the british left......... but the bengalis and punjabis of india are far safe, prosperous and happy............

Aniket, kolkata, west bengal,india

I want to thank the United States of America for supporting the Albanians. Thank you USA for making our Independence possible!!! Thank you France, Britain and Germany! This blog goes to all the Albanians that have perished. "You were tortured, brutalized and treated inhumanly (not even an animals would be treated in that way) but you continued to fight for what was ours from the beginning!! And for that I want to Thank you for fighting for our country, fighting for us, my generation and the generations to come. You gave us hope, taught us never to give up and to stand strong . I pray that you are with GOD, and now you could look down and see that we are free!!! No more Torture , No more Pain! We are Free!! To all of you with your nasty comments, we Albanians have never degraded other countries, we believe in peace and always have, we have helped numerous countries in the past when they were invaded and mistreated by others. But no ones speaks of that..

Sunshine, Mahattan,

Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Flanders, Brittany, Corsica, Catalonia, the Basque region, Northern Italy, Quebec, California...just some of the regions which could well take Kosovo's independence as a precedent, a bad one.

DR. Bob, Chicago, USA

within any given population,certain differences always exist.....what if now the the 6 ethnic tribes of the new nation want to break apart?.........there is no end to fragmentation until we reach an unsustainable size.but when 95%of kosovians wants independance...it is ok ..............but isnt is easier to live in a bigger country and enjoy both benifits.............................................for eg
look at pathetic bengalis of bangladesh and pujabis of pakistan..............that broke apart from india after the british left......... but the bengalis and punjabis of india are far safe, prosperous and happy............

Aniket frm India, kolkata, west bengal

So, isn’t the recognition of Kurdistan much more overdue? I would say that they are much more deserving than Kosovo albanians, and besides they are muslims too. What gives? Why such blatant hypocrisy of the west. Why deny suffering on one side (that is truly exposed to it by turks and sadam, just to name a few) and invent it on the other. Perplexing, to say the least.

Scott G., Tri-city area, Canada

TO ALL YOU DEAR FRIENDS VERY LITTLE INFORMED ON HISTORY....
For the knowledge of the less informed. Kosovo was NOT a serbian territory untill 1914, where after WW 1 , the winners decided to do with Kosovo, and Albania for that matter as they pleased!!!
So, for the part of population who supports the refuse of recognizing Kosovo as independent because of territory issues, i hope this argument will show you other wise.
For another part of population who is concearned how "Kosovo, the heart of serbia" is being taken away, may I inform you that many serbs HAVE NEVER EVER been to kosovo because they did not dignify that province as serbian territory.
For the rest of you, who write from china and God knows where, with VERY VERY VERY little information, I impolre you to refrain from making useless comments, but go read some more if you are interested.

Ema, Tirana, Albania

So, if they and we are lucky, maybe the Welsh next and then soon to follow the Scottish?

David, Burnley, UK

Tamil natives of Srilanka is fighting for the independent Elam for the last 20 years. International community should give the same justice to the people of great Tamil Elam.
Elam Tamil lost more 100,000 people of their community.
This is the right time international community must involve in the Elam freedom struggle and help to attain their freedom and liberty.

Nanjil Peter, Washington DC metro, USA

Imagine this: Canterbury is overrun by French people and, therefore, declares independence from England. Now, I am all for the empowerment of the people across the world, however, Kosovo is very significant for Serbia's national and religious identity. This argument is not completely one sided, as always, there are two, almost equally weighted, sides of the coin.

Zac B-S, Brisbane, Australia

Say hello to the new Afghanistan in Europe.

As for waving British and American flags that's just a means to an end, an end that has been met. In 20 years time you’ll be bombing that place to ashes and Hashim Thaci will be the new Western boogieman. ENJOY!

Glad to have another display of the usual (un)believable hypocrisy of the West. So for those of you supporting this stunt, please do tell, if some minority community in Britain or America declares Independence based on numerical superiority and X number of years they've been in a given area coupled with some "grievance" (discrimination, racism, genocide, majority hegemony-take your pick) and who also happen to be waving the flag of some country which supports them would you be so willing to recognise their Independence? Or would you give them a free trip to Camp Delta Cuba?
I guess this is how States can be made eh? Based entirely on how many of you are there, how long you’ve been there, and how much you whine. Fantastic!

Sunil, Kandy,

to Maltin Repishti, Minneapolis, USA

"in an attempt to force Kosovars out of their native land, where they lived for thousands of years. "

to you, anyhing beyong 250 years is "thousand of yers". By the way, the Earth itself is only 4000 years old...they must lived in the Paradise before Adam and Eve...
Poor Serbes...no arm to protect themselves. by the way, they may deserve it: Even EU is chopping their homeland, they still want to join EU. Unbelieveable to any Chinese...

Yin Yang, Beijing, CHINA

Quebec was hardly colonized by the British. To be a colonized people assumes that that the people are native or indigenous to the land. The native Indians were in fact colonized by the the French who were the initial colonizers; the British simply took over to colonization. They are BOTH colonizers of the land. Quebec like the rest of North America is a land of immigrants. Everyone (excluding the natives) are immigrants. Present-day Quebec was for all intents and purposes built by the British and certainly the great city of Montreal bears the stamp of the Anglo-Scottish industrialists.

French-Canadian/Quebecois people share none of the same experiences as the Kosovar people. If that would be so, the Canada that exists today would not bear the stamp of the once called French-Canadians certainly no French-Canadians would ever have held the highest offices in the land, such as Prime Minister, among others.

Ed, New York, USA

Congratulations to the Albanians who live in Kosovo. However, land and a border do not a nation make and the tough part starts now. Serbia, like Spain and France in the Basque country, Turkey in Cyprus and the Irish in the North who want union covet only land. The French speaking Quebecois are as undeserving of becoming a nation in Quebec as were the British in Canada; the French stole the land from the Native Tribes. If Quebec is ever independent, it should be a native American state. The French descendants seem to overlook their bogus argument when it comes to the concept of who deserves what. Finally, look at East Timor. Not a viable state, despite a flag and land. The Arab pockets will need to support their Muslim brothers if such a small area of land and a remnant people from the Ottoman Empire are ever going to make it as a "nation". The odds are stacked against it on past form. Wither Palestine for all the oil wealth? Owning a canoe means you've now got to paddle it.

Bregzitch Vermaslas, Hong Kong,

Another remarkable article from one of your finest writers. Ms Philp's exquisite turn of phrase makes her stories a pleasure to read.

Tim de Santos, Paris,

95 percent of Kosovo's population said they wanted independence today.
Gentelmen, even if they wanted to declare a seperate continent, that percentage gives them the right to do so . Rejoyce with them.
As one of the oldest european nations and the producers of one of ten original languages of the world they deserve at least to have their freedom.
Justice and humanity won today and I shall drink to their health and happines.

John, Liverpool, England

Sadly enough, Albanians throughout the western world are not the role models and newspaper sections are generally filled with stories about Albanian nationals committing from petty crimes to quite heinous deeds. Looking at present conditions in Kosovo, where drugs, prostitution, money laundering and human trafficking are fact of life, I am simply trying to understand how long will EU and the USA babysit and administer this protectorate banana-state before people evolve to a higher level. Probably forever. So, congratulations on your ‘well-deserved’ independence, Kosovo Albanians.

Scott G., Tri-city area, Canada

Yang in Wuhan,

Nice comments, but I'm afraid Taiwan has been independent for quite some time now. It has it's own democratically elected president and legislature (which you do not have), its own ministries including national health care (which you do not have), as well as its own military to defend the country. Your leaders have never even stepped foot on this island and you flag has never been raised here. Just because someone says Taiwan is not independent does not make it so.

Jim , Taipei , COUNTRY OF TAIWAN

Congratulations to Kosovo and welcome to the family of free European nations.

It's sad to read such crass, ignorant racist and islamophobic comments here as well.

Lyndon, Caerdydd, Cymru

If Kosovo is independent nation, why is it Albanian flag that they are waving? Smells like the Greater Albania plan has started to unfold.

Joe, SF, USA

Firstly this is an illegal act. Its outrageous that refugees who flood another soverign country have the right to decades later ask for independence and have it granted by the Eu and the US. No I am not Serbian, but its evident that Bush pushed this agenda along to appease Saudi Arabia (who have asked Bush to push for this for a long time).

To the Serbians, let it go, Why would you want it back now after its been trashed by the Albanians who lived there? Suck the EU dry for as much compensation as you can get. On a brighter note the Croats and Serbs in Bo snia who want their independence from the fake territory of Bosnia should be granted it also, along with the Greek Cypriots , the Basque s eperatists in Spain. The precedent has been set.

PM, Sydney, Australia

Mother Theresa was an ethnic Vlach from Macedonia. Unfortunately the Albanian lobby has usurped her ethnicity in creating a myth that she was Albanian.

Vasil, Toronto, Canada

to Skip Folden, San Francisco, US,
well said...I found the "free" media is the best tool for brainwashing...

Yin Yang, Beijing, CHINA

With due respect to the right of self-determination for every nation, I think it would be wrong and pretty unfortunate to accept Kosovo as an sovereign state. First of all, ethnic Albanians are Albanians, even they do not call themselves Kosovas, they call themselves ethnic Albanians. They are thus not a unique nation, they are Albanians. Albanians already have their national state. It´s called Albania.
In Kosovo and throughout Europe tonight they are waving ALBANIAN flags, not Kosovo flags.
Can a nation use it´s right for self-determination twice? and creating two states?
Cheers

Tomas, Luxembourg,

Clearly some of the views expressed on this board lack any knowledge and some comparisons made here are seem as they have been just plucked out the sky. I thinks its an amazing day for Albanian-Kosovars all over the world. People seem to forget the long vicious history of serbs, was Bosnia their land also, or Macedonia or Montenegro? None of these lands ever belong to the serbs nor will they ever and by attacking the US embassy, well they are just showing their true colours. I wish the very best to Kosovan's and I hope they continue to progress and join the EU in the future.

Kosova regains its freedom, deservedly so after all the suffering. Serbia well keep acting blind, because Kosova will "always be yours", so will Macedonia, Montenegro and any other state you fancy, in the meantime keep hold of your national treasure, those war criminals that only capital punishment would do justice.

Endri, Oxford,

Well Britain.,et al, hope your're proud of ourselves.

Josh, London, UK

To Igor,

Independant Quebec?
And what of it?
Before the British took the land, it WAS French.

Perhaps, you would like to turn the clock back, and become part of Greater Serbia as you were before?
Or is OK for Slovenia to become independant nation, as it rightly deserved so, but not for the other peoples in what was once Greater Serbia a.k.a. Yugoslavia?

Apsco Radiales, Montreal, Canada

To bartez,

Read up on the history of peoples who once made up former Yugoslavia, before you start comparing it to Yorkshire.

By the way, Texas is the only state in the Union that DOES have a legal or constitutional right to separate from USA or go on their own. That was one of the key elements or conditions under which it joined the United Sates.

There is EVERY reason for supporting the aspirations of Kosovo or any other nations/peoples to be masters in their own homes.
Colonialism and Imperialism are, thankfully, finally disappearing from Europe.

Apsco Radiales, Montreal, Canada

It will be interesting to see just how many ethnic Albanian Kosovans currently seeking asylum in the UK will decide to return now that they have their own internationally recognised country. I wonder whether Britain will be quite so welcoming when Kosovan Serbs begin fleeing the new country from persecution.... I somehow doubt it!

Damien, London, England

When can we the English have a declaration of independents from the Scottish? After all we make 80% of the population should we not be free?

What about our freedom from the EU after all if we where not in the EU we could ignore the court of human rights and stop all these immigrants from flooding the country before, they want there own independence from us.

MR W B Jones, Liverpool, England (United Kin,

How can the EU endorse Kosovo's independence from Serbia when they denied the same right to the Krajina Serbs in Croatia and both the Serbs & Croatians in Bosnia ??

Peter Novakovic, Northampton, England

Independence of kosova has nothing to do with religion,
Serbs had wars with all nations of ex-Yugoslavia but they still believe that everybody is wrong. Unfortunately they are so blind they do not realize that nobody wants to live in the Union with Serbs. Hundred of thousands of kosovar Albanians were expelled or killed or imprisoned during the last century by Serbs, but those remaining in Kosova will live better than Albanians did ever during Serb regime.

Driton, Prishtina London, Republic of kosova

Kosovo is artificial state with artificial live support!. Can you imagine Yorkshire declering independence, because it would file like that???? How about California, ore Texas?

There is no single reason for supporting independence of Kosovo

bartez, London, UK

Please eduacte yourselves before talking. Kosova always was Albanian land that was given to the slavvic country of serbia after the Treaty of London in 1913 which ended the Balkan wars. Albania was a young country lacking hte support of the west and thus was powerless in protecting its lands and thus was choped up into pieces... the bigest one being the province of Kosova. So Albanians did not breed uncontrollably... they continued their lives. Serbia wanted the land the the slaves that came with it... always feeling tooo good to live there but gald to reep its profits. Education is power so please before opening your mouth ... open the encyclopedia... eve wikipedia will give knowledge to those of you lacking so much.

Enida, Boston, MA/ USA

The smarties in the U.S. government better plan on converting these Albanians to Christianity.

Otherwise, the U.S. may very well have created another Afghanistan by shoring up yet another government led by a guerilla war leader.

Aleks, Beograd, SRB

A free and independent homeland is long overdue for Kosovars. Serbians lost any moral standing by applying a brutal and medieval indiscriminate genocide in an attempt to force Kosovars out of their native land, where they lived for thousands of years. (Obviously, Serbs want the land, but do not seem much interested in living there.)
All the free and civilized world is undoubtedly on the side of Kosovo, happy to embrace the new democratic nation with open arms.
Congratulations to the people of the new independent Kosovo!

Maltin Repishti, Minneapolis, USA

As the majority of Bradford in Yorkshire are Muslims, it is time for them to get Independence from the UK.

CHRIS MILES, Manchester, uk

Does this mean that the US and Europe will also support a declaration of independence by the majority Muslim city of Bradford under Sharia law within multicultural England?

It is crazy to allow uncontrolled immigration that leads to part a a country breaking away under its own independence once a majority of immigrants settle there.

George, London,

I wonder what those in the United States who now applaud "Independent Kosovo" will say when twenty or so years from now
Souther California wiht its Spanish speaking majority declares itself "Independent North Mexico"

Jerry Nothman, Mesa, AZ USA

Let us pray that this young state will see the error of trying to be secular and will embrace its destiny as the first Islamic Republic within the embrace of the EU.
This day brings hope to the oppressed minorities of Europe, whether in Ireland, Spain or Corsica.

Tim C, Southern England, United Kingdom

Kosovo - ethymology: KOS is an old Serbian word for a blackbird, and Kosovo was a medieval Serbian land where many blackbirds lived and medieval Serbs used them as main food. KOS doesnot mean anything in Albanian language. Kosovo is ethylmolgically old Serbian word.

Dejan, Belgrade, Serbia

Apsco Radiales, Montreal, Canada. It won't be long before you find yourself living in Independent Quebec, trying to speak french.

Igor, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Independence of Kosovo is truly a historic event for Kosovo people and they deserve it.

Hafuz Kupa, London, UK

WW1 and WW2 finially come to a close in that part of the World. And all the injustices over hunderds of years have also come to a close.

Congratulations to the Kosovars.
Let us hope that Serbs finally realise that their dreams of Greater Serbia were nothing but ill advised schemes put forth by their leaders over hunderds of years, and that they have enough courage now to march peacefully ahead into a better future together with all the peoples in the region.

Apsco Radiales, Montreal, Canada

With respect to all, what we, the US, did in assisting the KLA / CKU, a known terrorist organization, and Albania with our attack on Yugoslavia and following occupation, with a permanent gigantic military base, in order to set up this independence and to secure Albania as a regional ally, and now supporting the removal of Kosovo from Serbia - is equivalent to supporting the giving of Southern California to Mexico to satisfy the illegal aliens in Southern California.

I doubt my country, the US, would think as kindly to giving Southern California to Mexico as our government now not only supports, but has been instrumental, in giving Kosovo to Albania, despite the misleading terminology of “independent” Kosovo.

Further, Thaci was an outright terrorist, but of course being our ally, has gotten off the hook of prosecution. That’s the way it is. For those who disagree with the above, I understand. The difference is probably that you did not track the events on a daily basis in the lead up to and during the war against Yugoslavia nor put out intelligence on the subject, as I did. It was a very dirty subject, and massively mis-reported by most of the press, without the diligence which should have been applied to the input the press was receiving.

Skip Folden, San Francisco, US

Tragic!
If Taiwan government to declare independence, we will make them into a second Chechnya, damned!

yang, Wuhan, China

ok - can anyone tell me where were the Serbs while the "Muslim breeding campaign" was occurring? I ask in all sincerity - what is the answer to this question. And further, am I not responsible for who I let breed in'my' country?

diazzy, winnipeg, canada

Another remarkable article from one of your finest writers. Ms Philp's exquisite turn of phrase makes her stories a pleasure to read.

Tim de Santos, Paris,

Your images depicting Kosovo's population celebrating independence by waving American flags are worth 1000 words. What is widely demonized as 'US and British occupation' by many obviously translates as freedom for an entire nation of people.

Sarah, Durham,

The Sinhala Buddhist people of Heladiva will reject Kosovo Independence and fully support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia.

Its is not right for some minority to migrate en masse into someone elses homeland (from their own homeland which is on the other side of the border) hang around for a few years, breed uncontrollably then become a "minority majority" in a province (by displacing, cleansing and out numbering the original inhabitants through the aforementioned migration and breeding programs) and then trump up bogus claims of "discrimination" or "racism" and use this along with artificial numerical superiority as a justification for Independence. Nor is it right to attack the majority (who let you into their land) and cry foul when they retaliate, internationalising the conflict you created to win sympathy when things go wrong. Its like breaking into someones house, the owner breaks your legs for doing so and then YOU call the cops on him. Its wrong and unfair.

Sunil, Kandy, Lanka

Am I the only one who thinks that EU policy towards Kosovo is but an immature attempt to "stick it" to the Serbs yet again. Have to admit I did not know where or what the Kosovo is up until recently, however I've done some research which raises more questions than answers.
Many countries in the world have it's own Kosovo (including UK, US, China, Canada, Belgium, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina...Russia...). Are we just overcompensating by supporting Muslims and is it smart to use force (our force) to fortify Muslim position in Europe. Next few years are going to be interesting.
Cheers.

Beau Philips, London,

One step for Kosovo a giant leap for Kosovon's

Endri Llabuti, Oxford,

Another remarkable article from one of your best writers. Ms Philp has an exquisite turn of phrase, making her articles a pleasure to read.

Tim de Santos, Paris,