Serbia recalls Ambassadors from states which recognized Kosovo independence

PanARMENIAN.Net - Belgrade has recalled its ambassador from the U.S. over Washington's recognition of Kosovo, as the rift among the international community deepened on Tuesday.



"We feel that this is a travesty of international law," Serbia's ambassador to the U.S., Ivan Vujacic, said on Monday evening at a news conference at the Serbian embassy.



Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica also indicated that Belgrade would withdraw its ambassadors from other countries recognizing the sovereignty of the 'world's newest state.'



A UN Security Council meeting on Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence ended late on Monday without a resolution or joint statement.



Serbian President Boris Tadic said that Kosovo's actions represented a precedent which would cause "irreparable damage to international order."



Russia is deeply opposed to independence for Kosovo, while China has expressed its 'deep concern' over developments, saying that they "constitute a serious challenge to the fundamental principles of international law."



President Bush, however, speaking in Africa during his week-long tour of the continent, said he was confident that history would, in retrospect, justify the actions of Washington and its allies. "History will prove this to be the correct move," he said.



The UN Security Council meeting came as Serbia's parliament formally and unanimously annulled Kosovo's independence. Sunday's declaration of sovereignty, it announced, contradicted UN Resolution 1244 which guaranteed Serbia's territorial integrity.



The U.S., France, the U.K., Germany, Australia, Turkey and Italy have all so far recognized Kosovo. Poland is expected to follow suit on Tuesday.



Spain, with its own separatist problems, announced on Monday that it would not acknowledge the sovereignty of the former Serbian province.



Three other EU states, Cyprus, Romania and Slovakia, earlier announced that they would also refuse to recognize Kosovo. Vietnam and Indonesia have also said they will not acknowledge Pristina's sovereignty, RIA Novosti reports.