World

Kosovo moves closer to declaring independence

by Jarrett Martineau | February 15, 2008 at 10:15 pm

348 views | 0 Recommendations | 1 comment

Kosovo has not set a date to declare its independence, however, Serbia's president has indicated that the country will do everything it can to keep Kosovo within Serbia.

In anticipation of conflict surrounding Kosovo's decision, EU troops will move into the region in order to help "smoothen the transition".

Kosovo inched closer to a widely expected declaration of independence on Sunday, amid rising political tension and Serbia's determination to resist what it considers an illegal breakaway.

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci refused Friday to say exactly when independence would come, but both Belgrade and the international community visibly stepped up their preparations.

In Belgrade, Serbian President Boris Tadic vowed to do everything to keep Kosovo within Serbia, as he was sworn in for a second term in office Friday.

More than 220,000 Serbs have fled the province since the end of the Kosovo war in 1999 when NATO bombing ended a clampdown by Serb forces against separatist ethnic Albanian rebels.

Kosovo's break is backed by the main EU powers and the United States, while Serbia's position is strongly supported by Russia.

The European Union is to start sending a 2,000-strong force of police and legal experts imminently to smoothen the transition to independence.

Independence for Kosovo would close the chapter on United Nations administration in Kosovo that began in 1999 after the NATO campaign against then Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic.