Kosovo Declares Independence

Kosovo has declared its independence like it has been promising for months. Initial reactions have been calm, not unexpected, but there have been stern responses from Serbia and Russia:

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said that it "violates international order," and that Kosovo was a "false state."

"Kosovo will forever remain a part of Serbia," he said. "We do not recognize the forceful creation of this false state. We must support our countrymen in Kosovo."

"As long as the Serb people exist, Kosovo will be Serbia," he went on. Belgrade has ruled out the use of force to retake Kosovo, however.

Russia has called an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to address the issue, though it is likely to be ineffective at resolving the issue. Russia has also given a warning about the declaration:

"The decision of the leaders of Kosovo is fraught [with the danger of] an escalation in tensions and ethnic violence in the province, and new conflicts in the Balkans,"

A new conflict that could come into play is over Bosnia's Serb republic. Presently a dispute over Bosnia's constitution, police forces, and the unilateral independence of Kosovo have all sparked threats of a referendum on independence. A group of Serbian NGOs in Bosnia have already said they would call for the Serb Republic to have a referendum on independence. Such a call would be contingent on recognition by other countries.

Also the potential for this to expand beyond the Balkans was made abundantly clear by an appeal made by Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia's frequent warnings and hints about recognition make the Russian reaction uncertain, but should they recognize the two breakaway republics Georgia is likely to launch a conflict with Russia.

For now, it's dependent on Russia and Serbia's reaction as to what happens in the other areas.