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| Europe |
| Kosovo: US reaffirms support for independence |
| 2008-10-08 |
| (AKI) - The United States has reiterated its support for an independent Kosovo and its opposition to any move to partition the country. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates made the remarks about Washington's position during a visit to Kosovo on Tuesday. Serbian President Boris Tadic said in a recent interview he might consent to a partitioning of Kosovo's Serbian enclaves if all other efforts failed. However, Gates said the US opposed partition. "Kosovo is an independent state...and the partitioning can't be a solution. Therefore the US supports territorial integrity of Kosovo," he concluded. Gates, the highest US official to visit Kosovo since it declared independence, met Kosovar President Fatmir Seidiu and Prime Minister Hasim Taci in Pristina. He also visited American soldiers at the US military base of Bondsteel near Pristina. He made a brief stop in Kosovo between visits to Hungary and neighbouring Macedonia. Gates said the 16,000 strong international force (KFOR) enjoyed great respect in Kosovo and would remain there as long at least until the end of next year. KFOR was deployed in Kosovo in 1999, after Serbian forces withdrew from the province following NATO bombing and the province was put under United Nations' control. Serbia, which rejects Kosovo's independence, is fighting a diplomatic battle to retain the former province under its control. Close to 50 countries have recognised Kosovo in the past eight months, but Serbia's ally Russia has threatened to block a resolution recognising Kosovo in the United Nations' Security Council. Seidiu and Taci thanked Gates for American support to Kosovo's independence bid and said they expected more countries to recognise it in the coming months. Serbia has submitted a resolution to the UN General Assembly demanding the International Court of Justice to consider the legality of Kosovo independence. The resolution will be considered by the General Assembly on Wednesday. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #4 See also WAFF.com > OUT OF HIDING, SOME KOSOVARS EMBRACE CHRISTIANITY. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-10-08 20:24 |
| #3 Kinda like Russia reaffirming support for an independent California. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2008-10-08 14:24 |
| #2 Sometimes you have to bang your head at the stupidity of the people on your own side. Russia and about half the world have got their noses out of joint over recognition of Muslim Kosovo, which is in breach of every International Law regarding the integrity of sovereign states. You would think the US, after fighting a civil war over this issue would understand this. The only people who are happy are the 57 Muslim states led by Saudi Arabia. |
| Posted by: tipper 2008-10-08 06:02 |
| #1 ION WAFF.com > NATO TO BEGIN DRAWING UP [controversial] PLANS TO DEFEND EX-SOVIET BLOC MEMBERS/STATES FROM RUSSIA. Post-GEORGIA = US + UK approve, France + Germany still debating the proposal. *STRATEGYPAGE > US F15's have begun patrols of LITHUANIAN-BALTIC SKIES near RUSS BORDER. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-10-08 02:58 |