Portugal and Romania refuse to recognize Kosovo unilateral independence

PanARMENIAN.Net - The European Union is not ready to recognize unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates said.



"The answer is no" on immediate recognition of Kosovo independence, said Socrates, who presided at the summit. "What we do now is undertake negotiations in the United Nations Security Council."



The EU leaders agreed to send a 1,800-strong police and security mission to Kosovo to replace the current United Nations administrative mission.



Romania also refrains from recognizing Kosovo's unilateral independence. "Proceeding from the principle of territorial integrity we can't recognize unilateral proclamation of independence," said Romanian President Traian Basescu.



Kosovo has been a UN protectorate since 1999, when NATO's bombing of the former Yugoslavia ended a war between Serb forces and ethnic Albanians.