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ICJ Decision on Kosovo to Be Vague
Belgrade | 20 November 2009 | Bojana Barlovac
The President of the International Court of Justice, ICJ, Hisashi Owada says that the Court’s advisory opinion on whether Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence went against international law will not be "a clear yes or no".
In an interview with Russian news agency RIA Novosti, Owada said that there will not be an unambiguous answer on the issue.
"It will be necessary to read the answer thoroughly, since the judges can have different opinions," the agency quoted Owada as saying.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanians declared unilateral independence on 17 February 2008. Serbia, who bitterly opposes the country’s independence, took the case to the ICJ. The proceedings are ongoing.
According to the agency, the ICJ will hold an open discussion on the issue between 1 to 11 December. The judges are supposed to deliver their opinion a few months after.
Owada explained that the court's conclusion would be 30 pages-long, and that the document would "simply have to be studied".
In an interview with the Italian news agency ANSA earlier this month, Serbian President Boris Tadic expressed his optimism that the decision will be made in favour of Serbia. He said that if the ICJ ruled in favour of Kosovo, it would send a dangerous precedent in other countries.
Tadic reiterated that Serbia defended its territorial integrity and sovereignty in a diplomatic way.
"Serbia does not recognise Kosovo's independence, but will remain strong in an attempt to find, through dialogue, a peaceful solution," he said.
There is no deadline for the ICJ to issue its ruling. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic has said that the decision is likely to come in the first half of next year.
"It will be necessary to read the answer thoroughly, since the judges can have different opinions," the agency quoted Owada as saying.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanians declared unilateral independence on 17 February 2008. Serbia, who bitterly opposes the country’s independence, took the case to the ICJ. The proceedings are ongoing.
According to the agency, the ICJ will hold an open discussion on the issue between 1 to 11 December. The judges are supposed to deliver their opinion a few months after.
Owada explained that the court's conclusion would be 30 pages-long, and that the document would "simply have to be studied".
In an interview with the Italian news agency ANSA earlier this month, Serbian President Boris Tadic expressed his optimism that the decision will be made in favour of Serbia. He said that if the ICJ ruled in favour of Kosovo, it would send a dangerous precedent in other countries.
Tadic reiterated that Serbia defended its territorial integrity and sovereignty in a diplomatic way.
"Serbia does not recognise Kosovo's independence, but will remain strong in an attempt to find, through dialogue, a peaceful solution," he said.
There is no deadline for the ICJ to issue its ruling. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic has said that the decision is likely to come in the first half of next year.
2009-11-20 22:59:47