Yemen's 'Verbal' Recognition of Kosovo Fuels Confusion
Kosovo's alleged receipt of a verbal recognition pledge from Yemen raises questions about the number of countries that have actually recognised its independence.
(kosovocompromisestuff) Saturday, June 15, 2013
Kosovo's Foreign Ministry has claimed that Yemen has recognised its independence. “The Republic of Yemen has decided to set diplomatic relations with the Republic of Kosovo and work for the common good of both friendly countries,” it quoted the Yemen authorites as saying. A press release issued on Wednesday from the Foreign Ministry said the verbal pledge had arrived on Tuesday. According to the ministry, the pledge of recognition followed the visit of Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj to the country on April 28, 2013. Amid some confusion over the value of the latest verbal pledge, it remains unclear how many other states have actually recognized Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia in February 2008. The ministry website names the island state of Saint Kitts and Nevis as the latest on a list of 96 countries to have recognized Kosovo. But this list also includes Sao Tome and Principe whose authorities have since denied ever recognizing Kosovo. At the end of May, the Deputy Prime Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, claimed that Tanzania had recognized Kosovo. But the Foreign Ministry has never received confirmation of this claim, either.
