Pristina: ICJ resolution could pass
Kosovo Albanian official Skender Hyseni admitted on Sunday that Serbia's ICJ initiative looks likely to win enough votes at the UN General Assembly
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Monday, October 06, 2008
Belgrade will be asking UN members to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its opinion on the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence.
The voting has been scheduled for Wednesday in New York.
Hyseni, who appointed by the Kosovo government as "foreign minister", said the reasons for the document's good chances are "in the system of voting at the General Assembly of the UN, designed so that it does not block almost any initiative".
"The second motive is the respect of the fundamental principle of international law."
Hyseni said that the countries that have recognized Kosovo might now "because of that principle" vote in favor of sending the resolution to the ICJ, but said that it will have no long-term effect on Kosovo.
"It can have short-term effects but there will be no long-term ones in the process of Kosovo's recognition and in the process of strengthening of the democratic institutions. We are convinced that the International Court of Justice will arrive at a just decision in favor of Kosovo," he told reporters after returning to Pristina from New York.
Nothing else could be done to block Serbia's initiative, he continued, and added he was convinced that it will not affect those countries that are preparing to recognize Kosovo.
"Recognitions can be expected in the coming days ahead of the voting on the resolution," Hyseni stated, but did not reveal which countries he was referring to.
