http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/16/content_7615992.htm
2008-02-16 22:39:20
Kosovo PM confirms independence declaration on Sunday
The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, who won
Kosovo's parliamentary elections last week, arrives at the European Council
headquarters ahead of a meeting in Brussels November 20, 2007.(Xinhua/Reuters
Photo)
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BELGRADE, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci
confirmed that the ethnic Albanian-dominated Serb province will declare
independence on Sunday, the Serbian Beta news agency reported.
Thaci made the statement on Saturday after a meeting with religious
leaders in provincial capital city of Pristina.
The Serbian government is expected to declare Kosovo independence
null and void as it violates Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It has also adopted a secret "Action Plan" to deal with the situation
in case Kosovo declares independence.
On the world arena, Serbia's traditional ally Russia has pledged to
oppose Kosovo's declaration of independence, while most European Union
countries and the United States have offered quick recognition.
The EU agreed to send a 2,000-strong policing mission to Kosovo on
Friday night.
Kosovo was a southern autonomous province within Serbia before the
breakup of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Among its population of 2
million, over 90 percent are ethnic Albanians and Serbs make up about 7
percent.
The independence-seeking province has been run by the U.N. mission
since 1999.
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