"Associated Press"

Montenegro may recognize Kosovo

PODGORICA, Montenegro-Montenegro's foreign minister said Friday that Kosovo's independence was a reality, suggesting his government will recognize the new state even though that would anger traditional ally Serbia. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February. It has won recognition from the United States and most nations in the European Union. But Serbia, backed by Russia, has refused to acknowledge the split.

Montenegrin recognition of Kosovo would be a major blow to Serbia, because the two Balkan republics have close historical and cultural ties. Montenegro was the only former Yugoslav republic that stayed in the union with Serbia after the federation broke up in 1991. Montenegro split from Serbia in 2006. Serbian officials have appealed to neighboring states to refrain from recognizing Kosovo. In a latest bid to maintain claim on the region, Serbia has moved to question Kosovo independence at the International Court of Justice.

But Montenegrin Foreign Minister Milan Rocen said during a parliamentary debate that "an independent Kosovo is a political reality ... and Montenegro has no right to close its eyes before that fact." He said it is up to individual countries to decide whether to recognize Kosovo or not.
In Pristina, Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu urged Montenegro and Macedonia, another former Yugoslav republic, to recognize Kosovo's independence quickly.

"It is a good answer from countries that are now sovereign and with which we were in a state union that is now destroyed and does not exist," Sejdiu said. Kosovo has been run by a U.N. administration since a 1998-99 war.