UN court hears Kosovo independence case

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

Kosovo and Serbia in court battle
Serbia has called on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to declare that Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2008 broke international law.

Serbian representatives outlined their case as the court in The Hague opened hearings on Kosovo's secession.

Kosovo responded by saying its independence was irreversible.

Serbia still considers Kosovo to be part of its territory, and is hoping a favourable ruling at the ICJ will stop it gaining international recognition.

Some 63 countries have recognised the independence of Kosovo.

They include the US and 22 of the 27 members of the European Union.

But more than 100, including Russia and China, have not. The United Nations has also withheld recognition.

'Pillar of identity'

Serbia's representative, Dusan Batakovic, argued in court on Tuesday that Kosovo's independence move challenged his country's sovereignty and undermined international law.

He said it was the UN Security Council that set up a provisional administration in Kosovo following the 1999 conflict, and that Kosovo was therefore defying the UN.

He also argued that Kosovo was "the historical cradle of Serbia and constitutes one of the essential pillars of its identity".

Representatives of around 30 countries will present arguments to the court. Some are expected to argue that allowing Kosovo to secede would set a precedent that might be followed by separatists in other countries.

But Kosovo argued in court that any attempt to reverse its independence could spark conflict.

"Kosovo's independence is irreversible and that will remain the case, not only for Kosovo, but also for the sake of regional peace and security," the territory's foreign minister, Skender Hyseni, told the court.

He said Kosovo was happy to talk to Serbia, but only to discuss practical issues, not independence. "There can be no going back," he said.

First case

More than 10,000 people were killed in conflict in the late 1990s, as an insurgency by ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo was suppressed by the Yugoslav government of Slobodan Milosevic.

Nato responded by bombing Serbia into submission, after which Kosovo was placed under UN administration.

It is the first time the UN's highest court has examined whether a secession complies with international law.

Hearings are due to last until 11 December, but the verdict is not expected for several months.

The decision will not be legally binding, but is expected to influence whether other countries recognise Kosovo.

Story from BBC NEWS:
BBC News - UN court hears Kosovo independence case

Published: 2009/12/01 15:53:39 GMT

Bastards! My cousin was over in the Balkans. He still have PTSD from witnessing the genocide acts over there and being unable to do anything about them.

 

[Foxrac]

I support independence of Kosovo because many people has been suffered too much due harsher war in early 1990's.

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

I wish Serbia would loosen the grips on Kosovo... maybe integrate it back into Albania, but I doubt the latter will happen without a major war.

 

[Foxrac]

I wish Serbia would loosen the grips on Kosovo... maybe integrate it back into Albania, but I doubt the latter will happen without a major war.

Why does Serbia want Kosovo to be part of their territory?

 

[Buffalo]

I wish Serbia would loosen the grips on Kosovo... maybe integrate it back into Albania, but I doubt the latter will happen without a major war.

What do you mean by "back into Albania"??? As far as I can see in this link: Serbs in Kosovo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that Albania never rule over Kosovo except during the WWII when Italians occupied Albania and most of Kosovo was given to Italian-occupied Albania. (History of Kosovo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
"During the occupation, thousands of Kosovo Serbs were expelled by armed Albanian groups, notably the Vulnetari militia."

The way I see, both sides did wrong things and both sides were hurt.

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

Why does Serbia want Kosovo to be part of their territory?

Historically, it was occupied by both Serbians and Albanians until the Ottoman Empire took rein of the Balkans. Many Serbs saw Kosovo as their historical territory. Albanians also see it as their historical territory as well.

To understand the conflict... a lot of Serbs are Christians, while many Albanians are Muslims. Serbia split from the Ottoman Empire in 1817, and took over Kosovo in 1912. Problem is that many people in Kosovo are Muslims, and Albanians didn't really split from the Ottoman Empire until 1912.
So the problem now is that you have a nation buckling with another nation that saw it as their own blood rights as well based on the history of the region before the Turks goosestepped into the Balkans. Very much like what is happening in the Palestine today-- only neither Albania nor Serbia have control over Kosovo.

Religious-ethnic conflicts are the most complicated ones to resolve since you're dealing with more than just one issue. That's why the whole Serb-Croat conflict in early 90s shocked the world-- because they didn't think it was possible for people to treat their own neighbours so wrongly after so many years of co-operating and living together. At least before Rwanda reared its ugly head.

What do you mean by "back into Albania"??? As far as I can see in this link: Serbs in Kosovo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that Albania never rule over Kosovo except during the WWII when Italians occupied Albania and most of Kosovo was given to Italian-occupied Albania. (History of Kosovo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
"During the occupation, thousands of Kosovo Serbs were expelled by armed Albanian groups, notably the Vulnetari militia."

The way I see, both sides did wrong things and both sides were hurt.

See above for an explanation for the reason why I said "back into Albania."