Video: Kosovo declares independence

Leading Western powers gave their formal blessing to the independence of Kosovo yesterday, as angry Serbs took to the streets across the Balkans to vent their fury over the loss of their historical heartland.

Thousands thronged the main square in ethnically divided Mitrovica to hear hardline Serb leaders denounce the foreign backers of Kosovo and call on Russia, their old ally, to intervene and reverse the secession. At the same time in Pristina, ethnic Albanians waited for word from European leaders meeting in Brussels, the agreed precursor to an announcement from their allies in Washington.

Europe had hoped to speak with one voice on Kosovo but a failure to reach agreement left each country to issue its declarations separately.

The first, from Spain, brought disappointment when it announced that it would not recognise a secession that it viewed as a breach of international law. But there was jubilation and relief when France affirmed its support, followed moments later by Britain, Germany and then Italy.

People following the news on television in Pristina’s cafés burst into applause as the recognitions from Europe snowballed.

Hajredin Kuci, the Deputy Prime Minister, said in Pristina: “The recognition of Kosovo is as important as the declaration of independence. This is a crucial issue for the new state of Kosovo and its functioning.”

Kosovo’s Government says that it has secured promises of recognition from 100 countries, among them the 57 states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, which issued a collective statement of welcome to the new state yesterday.

But other countries battling separatist movements, from Azerbaijan to Sri Lanka and China, remain implacably opposed to the independence of Kosovo for fear of what it may mean for their own territorial futures.

The dilemma over Kosovo has been a key test for European unity, and only 17 of its member states have committed to recognising Kosovo immediately. Spain, struggling with its own separatist regions, spelt out its disapproval, followed by Cyprus, which declared secession “legally invalid” and a violation of the territorial sovereignty of Serbia. Greece, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania have also indicated their reticence.

The US, issuing its recognition after Europe, insisted that Kosovo’s independence was a “special case” that “cannot be seen as a precedent for any other situation in the world”. America continued to receive the brunt of Serbia’s diplomatic offensive, the country recalling its ambassador to Washington last night

Russia, however, directly contradicted America’s assertions. It said: “Now that the situation in Kosovo has become an international precedent, Russia should view existing territorial conflicts taking into account the Kosovo scenario.”

Times Recommends

• No apology for Germany’s own Nazi victims
• Intricate web of fear and hope tying down deal
• Victims remembered a year after Mumbai attacks