http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10730573
22 July 2010 Last updated at 14:14 GMT Kosovo independence not illegal, says UN court Kosovans wave flags during "independence day" celebrations in Pristina in 2009 Kosovo's government says its independence is irreversible Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 was not illegal under international law, top UN judges say. The ICJ was ruling on Serbia's claim that Kosovo's secession violated its territorial integrity. The International Court of Justice's non-binding ruling may encourage other countries to recognise Kosovo. The US and many EU countries support Kosovo's independence; Russia is strongly opposed to it. Addressing the court in The Hague, ICJ president Hisashi Owada said international law "contains no applicable prohibition" of Kosovo's declaration of independence. "Accordingly, [the court] concludes that the declaration of independence on 17 February 2008 did not violate general international law," he said.
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