Serbia expels skopje ambassador over recognition of Kosovo

[Angelo]

Serbia expels Macedonian ambassador over recognition of Kosovo



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2008-10-11 00:41:09 Print

TIRANA, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Macedonian ambassador was being expelled from Serbia after his government recognized the independence of Kosovo, Macedonia's foreign ministry said on Friday.

Macedonia's ambassador to Belgrade has been declared persona non grata and requested to leave Serbia as soon as possible, according to the ministry.

Ambassador Aleksandar Vasilevski had been called to Serbia's foreign ministry after Macedonia announced on Thursday its decision to officially recognize the independence of Kosovo, according to reports reaching here from Skopje.

Earlier on Friday, Zoran Popovic, the Serbian ambassador to Skopje, handed over a protest note to the Macedonian foreign ministry, asking Macedonia to reevaluate its decision to recognize Kosovo's independence.

But it was not immediately known whether the Serbian ambassador would be withdrawn from Macedonia or whether Serbia would slap other sanctions on Macedonia for its decision.

Montenegro and Macedonia recognized on Thursday Kosovo's independence despite opposition from Serbia, which called the moves by its Balkan neighbors a betrayal.

After Montenegro's recognition of Kosovo on Thursday, Serbia declared that Montenegro's ambassador "was no longer welcome" in Belgrade, and was expelled from Serbia.

Kosovo, a southern Serbian province where 90 percent of its 2 million people are ethnic Albanians, unilaterally declared independence in February.

It has been recognized by about 50 countries so far, but its independence is vehemently opposed by Serbia and Russia.


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