'Ghana will not recognise Kosovo'...Unless it resolves differences with Serbia (Thursday, August 19, 2010) pg 2
Ghana will not recognise Kosovo as an independent state until the United Nations resolves the problem with Serbia.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni explained that as a member of the UN, Ghana respected the due process being followed by the UN and therefore does not recognise the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo.
Alhaji Mumuni made the remark when the Special Envoy of Serbian President, Ambassador Danilo Vucetic, paid a courtesy call on the Minister to solicit Ghana’s support at the UN on the matter.
Ghana-Serbia (former Yugoslavia) diplomatic relations dates back to 1 960.
The province of Kosovo declared independence from the country in 2008 amidst a divided global support.
The United States and most European Union members supported the move, despite failing to win UN Security Council approval blocked by Russia in 2007.
Kosovo was the sixth state carved from the former Serbian-dominated Yugoslav federation since 1991, after Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Montenegro.
Kosovo’s proclamation of independence was made by leaders of the breakaway province's 90 percent ethnic Albanian majority, including former guerrillas who fought for independence in a 1998-99 war which claimed about 10,000 civilian lives.
The Foreign Minister said at the outbreak of the crisis, Ghana had decided that once the UN had referred the matter to the International Court of Justice, it would wait for the UN to resolve the it.
Alhaji Mumuni said Ghana believed that the differences should resolve within an international framework of negotiation, arbitration and consensus building in a manner that would be of benefit to the people.
He observed that Ghana and Serbia shared common values including protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity hence the country’s decision not to recognise the Kosovo as an independent state.
Earlier, Ambassador Vucetic stated that even though Serbia would pursue diplomacy and consensus building as means to resolve the matter, it believed that “the legalisation of such independent state can open a Pandora box that sets dangerous precedents.
Ambassador Vucetic also who delivered an unread message from the Serbian President, Mr Boris Tadic said the current situation was not for Serbia only because there were several succession movements across the African continent that could take advantage of the Kosovo move.
He called for Ghana’s active support for the Serbian position during discussion of the crisis at the UN General Assembly discussion next month.
The UN in a bid to deal with the matter sent it to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for resolution.
The ICJ in July this year ruled that Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 did not break international law.
The International Court of Justice rejected Serbian claims that the move had violated its territorial integrity.
But the Serbian officials were quoted in the international media saying "Serbia will never recognise the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo."
69 of the UN's 192 member countries have recognised Kosovo as independent - they include the US, the United Kingdom, neighbouring Albania and Croatia.
Those opposed include Russia, China and Bosnia. EU nations with separatist movements of their own - including Spain and Greece.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni explained that as a member of the UN, Ghana respected the due process being followed by the UN and therefore does not recognise the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo.
Alhaji Mumuni made the remark when the Special Envoy of Serbian President, Ambassador Danilo Vucetic, paid a courtesy call on the Minister to solicit Ghana’s support at the UN on the matter.
Ghana-Serbia (former Yugoslavia) diplomatic relations dates back to 1 960.
The province of Kosovo declared independence from the country in 2008 amidst a divided global support.
The United States and most European Union members supported the move, despite failing to win UN Security Council approval blocked by Russia in 2007.
Kosovo was the sixth state carved from the former Serbian-dominated Yugoslav federation since 1991, after Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Montenegro.
Kosovo’s proclamation of independence was made by leaders of the breakaway province's 90 percent ethnic Albanian majority, including former guerrillas who fought for independence in a 1998-99 war which claimed about 10,000 civilian lives.
The Foreign Minister said at the outbreak of the crisis, Ghana had decided that once the UN had referred the matter to the International Court of Justice, it would wait for the UN to resolve the it.
Alhaji Mumuni said Ghana believed that the differences should resolve within an international framework of negotiation, arbitration and consensus building in a manner that would be of benefit to the people.
He observed that Ghana and Serbia shared common values including protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity hence the country’s decision not to recognise the Kosovo as an independent state.
Earlier, Ambassador Vucetic stated that even though Serbia would pursue diplomacy and consensus building as means to resolve the matter, it believed that “the legalisation of such independent state can open a Pandora box that sets dangerous precedents.
Ambassador Vucetic also who delivered an unread message from the Serbian President, Mr Boris Tadic said the current situation was not for Serbia only because there were several succession movements across the African continent that could take advantage of the Kosovo move.
He called for Ghana’s active support for the Serbian position during discussion of the crisis at the UN General Assembly discussion next month.
The UN in a bid to deal with the matter sent it to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for resolution.
The ICJ in July this year ruled that Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 did not break international law.
The International Court of Justice rejected Serbian claims that the move had violated its territorial integrity.
But the Serbian officials were quoted in the international media saying "Serbia will never recognise the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo."
69 of the UN's 192 member countries have recognised Kosovo as independent - they include the US, the United Kingdom, neighbouring Albania and Croatia.
Those opposed include Russia, China and Bosnia. EU nations with separatist movements of their own - including Spain and Greece.
UsubcriMlis_wo Sherry Adkins Crack
ReplyDeletelaikingpharbung