Editorials & Other Articles

By Brian Cloughley

In February 2008, the ethnically Albanian province of Kosovo declared itself to be separate from Serbia of which it had been part for 60 years. There was no referendum on sovereignty by its 2.1 million inhabitants. The declaration was greeted with warm approval by the United States.

In March, the ethnically Russian province of Crimea declared itself to be separate from Ukraine of which it had been part for 60 years. There was a referendum on sovereignty by its 2.4 million inhabitants. The declaration was strongly condemned by the United States.

Six months before Kosovo declared independence from Serbia US President George W Bush said that, "At some point in time, sooner rather than later, you've got to say 'enough is enough. Kosovo is independent', and that's the position we've taken." But immediately after Crimea declared independence from Ukraine, US President Obama stated "We've seen an illegal referendum in Crimea."

For once it seems that Bush had international law on his side, albeit entirely by accident, because in 2010 the UN International Court's Advisory Opinion concerning Kosovo indicated that "international law contains no prohibition on declarations of independence", a clear-cut endorsement of Kosovo's declaration.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/World/WOR-01-241014.html