by MONITOR
THE Kosovo independence controversy, which the US and EU would like to think setttled, took on a new lease of life this week when the General Assembly of the United Nations voted 77 to 6 with 74 abstentions to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice.
The resolution was tabled by Serbia which has always considered Kosovo to be an intrinsic part of its territory and is strongly opposed to Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence which took place in February this year.
The Serbian foreign minister said that the reference to the International Court of Justice should help to ease tensions in the region caused by Kosovo's illegal action by transferring the dispute to a neutral judicial area. The United States, whose vote was one of the six against the resolution, told the General Assembly that Kosovo's independence is irreversible and Britain and France pointed out that Serbia's action is unhelpful at a time that it is negotiating to join the European Union.
Altogether 20 of the EU's 27 members have decided formally to recognise Kosovo's independence but Spain, Greece and Cyprus have declined to do so because of concern about their own provinces that are seeking independence. The International Court of Justice, which mostly makes rulings on disputed borders will probably take at least a year to consider Serbia's request for an advisory opinion on whether Kosovo's independence violates international law.