A ruling by top UN judges that Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia was not illegal was welcomed by the territory's allies and others. But Belgrade said it would never relinquish its claim while countries which also refused to recognise Kosovo's secession, including at least one EU state, repeated their opposition. Separatists in the former USSR and Spain welcomed the ruling for their own reasons. Reaction to the International Court of Justice's non-binding opinion follows in quotes. White House spokesman Mike Hammer: "We were pleased that the court agreed with the long-standing view of the United States that Kosovo's declaration of independence is in accordance with international law." Baroness Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy:"The advisory opinion opens a new phase. The focus should now be on the future. The future of Serbia lies in the European Union. The future of Kosovo also lies in the European Union." German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle: "The ICJ's ruling confirms our view that the declaration of independence was legal. It supports our view that the independence and territorial integrity of Kosovo are irrefutable facts." Serbian President Boris Tadic: "Serbia of course will never recognise the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo because it believes that unilateral, ethnically motivated secession is not in accordance with the principles of the United Nations." Russian foreign ministry spokesman Andrey Nesterenko: "It is of principal importance that the court provided its assessment of only the declaration itself, particularly spelling out that it did not consider the question of Kosovo's right unilaterally to secede from Serbia in a broader context. In its conclusions, the court did not rule on the consequences of the adoption of that document either, for example, whether Kosovo is a state, or on the legality of the territory's recognition by a number of countries. Our position on the non-recognition of the independence of Kosovo remains unchanged." Republic of Cyprus foreign ministry: "Cyprus would like to reiterate its position of principle on the issue of Kosovo and reaffirm its unwavering position of respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia, which includes the Kosovo and Metohija province." Sergei Bagapsh, president of the Russian-backed breakaway Georgian territory of Abkhazia: "The decision of the International Court once more confirms the right of Abkhazia and [fellow breakaway Georgian region] South Ossetia to self-rule. And from a historical and legal point of view, Abkhazia and South Ossetia have much more right to independence than Kosovo." Aitor Estaban, an MP from Spain's Basque nationalist PNV party: "I think that the main consequence is that Spain cannot keep saying that the international rules don't allow for a split of the country for a new Basque independent country into the European Union. So I think that should be already over and that's good news for us."
The UN's highest court has ruled Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia did not violate international law. The decision rejects a claim by Serbia but is non-binding. Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority declared independence from Belgrade in February 2008, after UN-brokered negotiations failed. The US and most European nations recognized the move, but Serbia – backed by Russia and China – called it a violation of its territorial integrity. Kosovo had previously been administered by the UN, following the NATO bombing campaign against Serbia in 1999. Washington-based journalist and historian Nebojsa Malic calls the decision a “death sentence for international law. It is a clear violation of UN Resolution 1244 and all the accepted norms of international law. I honestly was expecting a more nuanced decision. I did not expect the court to take such a directly pro-American position,” he said. As for Kosovo itself, Malic is convinced that “independent” is not the word to describe it. “Kosovo is as independent as Vichy France was in WWII. It’s a puppet state. It suffers from endemic corruption, abuse of power. Its governmental structure can be better described as organized crime,” the journalist added. Russia says that the ruling of the International Court of Justice will not change its stance on the status of Kosovo, which Moscow does not recognize as an independent state. A statement on the issue has been published on Russia’s Foreign Ministry web site. “The court has only assessed Kosovo’s declaration of independence, noting that it has not considered more widely Kosovo’s right to unilateral secession from Serbia,” the statement reads. “Also, in its ruling the court has not assessed either the consequences of the adoption of this document, namely whether Kosovo is a state, or the legitimacy of its recognition by a number of countries.”
III. RIANOVOSTI - UN court decision on Kosovo will not change Moscow's stance
A ruling on Thursday by the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia was legal will not affect Russia's position on the issue, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. ICJ president Hisashi Owada said international law "contains no applicable prohibition" of Kosovo's declaration of independence and that the court had ruled that "the declaration of independence on 17 February 2008 did not violate general international law." "Our position on our non-recognition of Kosovo's independence remains the same," the ministry's statement said. Russia has always been strongly opposed to Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. Kosovo called the decision a "great victory," adding that it represents "a new chapter in the victory of justice." "My message to the government of Serbia is 'Come and talk to us," Kosovo's Foreign Minister Skender Hyseni said. Serbia had claimed that Kosovo's secession violated its territorial integrity. The court's ruling was non-binding. Kosovo's independence was supported by the U.S. and a large number of EU states, while Russia has always maintained its strong opposition. Ten of the court's judges supported the opinion, while four opposed it. Moscow says the issue can be solved by talks based on UN Security Council resolution 1244. "We are ready to continue to contribute actively to this," the ministry said.
IV. KATHIMERINI - Greece: Cyprus deal vital
Prime Minister George Papandreou visits the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem yesterday. Prime Minister George Papandreou yesterday expressed Greece’s full support for Nicosia’s efforts to revive peace talks on the divided island of Cyprus and called on Turkish Cypriots to be more cooperative to ensure sputtering negotiations remain on track. At a time of increased tension in the Aegean, where Turkish vessels and aircraft have been encroaching on Greek air space and territorial waters, Papandreou also stressed the importance to Athens of a Cyprus solution. “For us, solving the Cyprus problem is a precondition for full normalization of Greco-Turkish relations,” said Papandreou following talks with Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias in Nicosia. “As far as Greece and Turkey are concerned, Cyprus can either divide us or unite us. Obviously we seek the latter,” said the Greek premier, who on Tuesday received Cyprus Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou in Athens for talks. Speaking a day after Turkish-Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu accused Nicosia of intransigence, Papandreou appealed to the Turkish-Cypriot administration to “seriously study” a package of proposals put forward last week by Christofias. Papandreou praised the efforts of Christofias in pursuing a consensus with hardliner Eroglu and said Greece backed the Cyprus leader’s proposals. “This shows that President Christofias is one step ahead in initiatives to solve the Cyprus problem,” Papandreou said. Later yesterday, the Greek premier flew to Israel for an official visit. One of Christofias’s proposals sees the port of Famagusta in the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus being opened to direct trade under the auspices of the European Union in exchange for the return of the area of Varosia to Greek Cypriots. Eroglu on Tuesday ruled out the return of Varosia and called on Nicosia to be more cooperative with the Turkish-Cypriot administration.
V. MIAMIHERALD - Colombia accuses Venezuela of harboring 1,500 rebels
A Colombian diplomat said officials have proof that Venezuela is allowing about 1,500 left-wing rebels to roam freely on its soil. The allegations against Venezuela were announced at an Organizations of American States meeting in Washington D.C. on Thursday. Colombia's ambassador at the OAS, Luis Alfonso Hoyos asked the Venezuelan government to stop hiding the wanted rebels. He also warned that there will be a third international party meant to corroborate the locations identified by former rebels. "We are hoping that Venezuela will cooperate and that they will comply with international and national rules. The presence of such illicit groups should not be allowed in any state," said Hoyos. During the meeting, Colombian diplomats planned to present overwhelming evidence -- including photos, coordinates, video and testimonials -- showing that there are rebels operating from Venezuela. "At this time, there are several camps that are being strengthened in Venezuela, where they are launching attacks against Venezuelan territory, as well as Colombian territory, and in turn hurting the Venezuelan people," said Hoyos. Venezuela's ambassador at the OAS, Roy Chaderton Matos, said that if there are any Colombian left-wing rebels in his country it is due to the inaction and inability of the Colombian government to solve their problems. "We have said it a thousand times, we do not accept the presence of any irregulars, nor do we accept any violations by Colombian forces in our territory," said Matos.
A federal judge heard arguments Thursday in a packed Phoenix courtroom over whether Arizona's tough new immigration law should take effect next week. U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton was holding the hearing on whether the law should be put on hold and whether a lawsuit filed by civil rights groups and others challenging it should be dismissed. About 30 lawyers were in court to represent defendants in the case. There also were about 150 spectators in the courtroom, many in a second-floor gallery. Defendants include various county officials from throughout the state, most of whom sent lawyers to the hearing. Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever was there in person, however, sitting at the front of the courtroom. Dever's county is on the Arizona-Mexico border and he knew a rancher who was killed in March on his ranch by a suspected illegal immigrant, possibly a scout for drug smugglers. The killing of Robert Krentz in many ways set the stage for the new Arizona law to pass, with politicians calling for action amid border violence. Supporters and opponents of the law demonstrated outside, gathering in prayer before the hearing started. Sarah Fox, a 64-year-old Phoenix nurse, said the new law takes the country's economic problems out on immigrants, who she believes are being used as a scapegoat. "It's morally wrong," she said. "I'm getting old and I don't have many years left to speak out against what is wrong." Debbi MacNicol, a 55-year-old Phoenix psychiatric nurse who carried a gun on her hip and wore a T-shirt that read "Don't Tread on Me," said she supports the law because she fears Mexico's drug war will spill over into Arizona. "It wasn't as much an issue until it started putting our lives at risk," she said. Bolton was set to hold another hearing in the afternoon on the U.S. Justice Department's request for a preliminary injunction blocking implementation of the immigration law. The law requires officers, while enforcing other laws, to check a person's immigration status if there's a reasonable suspicion that the person is here illegally. It also bans people from blocking traffic when they seek or offer day-labor services on streets and prohibits illegal immigrants from soliciting work in public places. Since Gov. Jan Brewer signed the measure into law on April 23, it has inspired rallies in Arizona and elsewhere by advocates on both sides of the immigration debate. Some opponents have advocated a tourism boycott of Arizona. It also led an unknown number of illegal immigrants to leave Arizona for other U.S. states or their home countries and prompted seven challenges by the Justice Department, civil rights groups, two Arizona police officers, a Latino clergy group and a researcher from Washington. Justice Department lawyers contend that local police shouldn't be allowed to enforce the law because, in part, it's disrupting the United States' relations with Mexico and other countries. Attorneys for Brewer argue that the federal government based its challenge on misconceptions of what the law would do and that Washington's inadequate immigration enforcement has left the state with heavy costs for educating, incarcerating and providing health care for illegal immigrants. In the challenge by civil rights groups, Brewer and other officials said the lawsuit should be thrown out because the groups don't allege a real threat of harm from enforcing the new law and instead base their claims on speculation. The civil rights groups said their clients will suffer imminent harm, such as a social service organization that will have to divert resources from its programs to instead assist those affected by the new law.
VII. NYDAILYNEWS - GOP Hopeful George Demos: Rebuild Church At Ground Zero, Not Mosque
Amid the harsh words and hard feelings surrounding the proposed building of a mosque near Ground Zero, NY-1 Congressional hopeful George Demos is speaking out about the issue for the first time -- but he's coming at it in a slightly different way. "On September 11, 2001, over 3,000 Americans, including 168 residents of our community in Suffolk County, were taken from us by the evil acts of Islamic extremists bent on destroying our freedoms. "Amid the thick smoke and choking ashes of that fateful day, the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was reduced to dust," he said today. The reconstruction of the church, crushed by the falling south tower, has been hampered by many delays since the attack, Demos noted, blaming the Port Authority for the holdup. "What an outrage that our government has put roadblocks in the path of its own citizens trying rebuild their beloved Church destroyed by Islamic extremists, while Saudi Arabia, a nation that prohibits people from even wearing a Cross or the Star of David, now provokes the families of those who lost loved ones by apparently funneling money to build a mosque at the same location," he said. The construction of the mosque, of course, has been a hot-button issue in the governor's race, where Republican Rick Lazio has repeatedly gone after Democrat Andrew Cuomo on the topic, even calling him an incompetent attorney general for not investigating the project's funding sources. Cuomo has argued that like it or not, the mosque has a right to be there: "What are we about if not religious freedom?" he asked. To read more about the history of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, please click here.