UN Court to Rule on Legality of Kosovo's Independence July 22

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair shakes hands with Kosovo Albanians during an official welcoming ceremony in Pristina, Kosovo, on 09 July 2010. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The International Court of Justice based in the Hague will issue next week its advisory opinion on the legality of the declaration of independence of the former Serbian province Kosovo.

The non-binding ruling will be read by the ICJ President Hisashi Owada during a public sitting at 3 pm on July 22, 2010.

The Republic of Kosovo declared its independence on February 17, 2010. It has been recognized by a total of 69 countries so far, including the USA and 22 of the 27 EU member states (with the exception of Spain, Romania, Greece, Slovakia, and Cyprus).

The decision about the legality of Kosovo’s secession from Serbia was taken to the International Court of Justice by the UN General Assembly at the request of Serbia. The Serbs together with Kosovo and a total of 29 countries including the US, Russia, and a number of EU member states took part in oral hearings before the UN court on the issue in December 2009.

Even though it is non-binding, the ICJ ruling on Kosovo’s independence is anticipated around the world, as it can have wider repercussions with respect to a number of secessionist movements around the world. It can also either solidify Kosovo’s independence or impede its further international recognition.

The ethnic Albanian-populated Kosovo decided to break off from Serbia after almost two years of internationally monitored talks that failed to secure Serbia's approval for the secession, in the wake of the 1999 NATO bombing of the former Yugoslavia directed against the regime of former dictator Slobodan Milosevic.

NATO bombed Serbia for 78 days in 1999 to end a brutal crackdown by the forces of then-President Slobodan Milosevic against Kosovo's separatist ethnic Albanians. About 10,000 ethnic Albanians were killed and close to 1 million forced from their homes. Hundreds of Serbs were also killed in retaliatory attacks by Kosovo separatists.

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