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UN Court Hears Serb Bid To Challenge Kosovo Independence

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  • UN Court Hears Serb Bid To Challenge Kosovo Independence

    UN COURT HEARS SERB BID TO CHALLENGE KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE

    /PanARMENIAN.Net/
    01.12.2009 12:10 GMT+04:00

    /PanARMENIAN.Net/ The highest U.N. court starts hearings on Tuesday
    to scrutinise Serbia's bid to challenge the legality of Kosovo's 2008
    declaration of independence.

    Kosovo declared formal independence from Serbia nine years after a
    NATO bombing campaign drove out Serb forces to stop the killing of
    ethnic Albanians in a 1998-99 war.

    Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said the Balkan state hoped
    the court's ruling would help Belgrade put a halt to the number of
    countries recognising Kosovo's declaration and force Pristina to
    re-enter talks about its future.

    Most Western nations have recognised Kosovo's independence, but
    neither Serbia, its former ruler, nor Russia have done so.

    Serbia wants the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague
    to give an advisory opinion on the declaration's legality.

    Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Rame Manaj was confident the court would
    rule in Kosovo's favour.

    "We can live together with Serbia only as two independent countries.

    Serbia deported half of the population out of Kosovo, has killed and
    massacred more than 12,000 people ... and because of all of these we
    declared independence," he told Reuters.

    "After the court decision we will have more recognitions and Belgrade
    will not be able to stop them."

    Observers say a ruling in Kosovo's favour would lead more countries
    to recognise its independence, while an adverse opinion could push
    it into negotiating a settlement with Serbia.

    Kosovo's independence has been recognised by 63 countries, 22 of
    which are European Union member states, but it will need many more
    before it can become a full U.N. member state.

    Nine days of hearings are scheduled before the 15-judge ICJ panel and
    30 countries are due to make oral statements, including the United
    States, Russia and China. Serbia and Kosovo will both make statements
    on Tuesday.

    Advisory opinions are not binding, but carry the authority of the
    court as the principal U.N. judicial organ. An opinion is expected
    in a few months.
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