U.S. and EU powers recognize Kosovo as some fear precedent

By Douglas Hamilton

PRISTINA (Reuters) - Europe's major powers and the United States said on Monday they recognized Kosovo's new independence, as Serbs reacted with anger and some states warned that its secession from Serbia set a dangerous precedent.

Serbian President Boris Tadic told the U.N. Security Council that unless it stopped Kosovo's independence, it would tell the world that no country's sovereignty and borders were safe.

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica ordered the immediate recall of Belgrade's ambassador from Washington.

He said envoys would be recalled from other capitals that recognized Kosovo. Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said later his ambassador would be withdrawn from France, the first to recognize Kosovo after a European Union foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels. Britain, Germany and Italy followed.

"The United States has today formally recognized Kosovo as a sovereign and independent state. We congratulate the people of Kosovo on this historic occasion," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said -- words Kosovo's 2 million ethnic Albanians had long dreamed of hearing.

"In light of the conflicts of the 1990s, independence is the only viable option to promote stability in the region."

Washington led NATO allies to bomb Serbia over its treatment of Kosovo Albanians in the 1998-99 guerrilla uprising.

Recognition was a relief for Pristina, which had nervously awaited the West's expected blessing of its secession, but a black day for Serbia, which vowed never to concede the loss of a spiritual homeland steeped in myth.

"The recognition of Kosovo is as important as the declaration of independence," Kosovo Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci told Reuters. "We are grateful."

In Banja Luka, capital of the Bosnian Serb Republic, protesters demanding Serb independence from Bosnia threw stones at U.S., French and German consulates. They chanted "Kill, Kill Shiptars", a pejorative name for Albanians.

Serbs marched peacefully in Belgrade, where riot police were on alert after Western embassies were attacked on Sunday night. A few Albanian-owned shops had their windows smashed, but there was no new rioting.

"I appeal to citizens to stop all protests which lead to violence and unrest, because that is not the way to help either Serbia or the defense of Kosovo," Kostunica said, calling Serbs to a major rally on Thursday.

DISSENT

Around the globe, states with their own restless minorities are dubious or critical of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence -- Spain, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Sri Lanka and China among them.

Tadic asked the Council: "If you cast a blind eye to this illegal act, who guarantees to you that parts of your countries will not declare independence in the same illegal way?"