Kosovo to declare independence, backed by the West
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PRISTINA, Serbia  - The last time Kosovo declared independence in 1990 it went unrecognized and ignored. When it splits from Serbia this weekend, it will have the support of the West, which sees no way back.
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Kosovo MPs back a coalition government led by Hashim Thaci, who is pushing for independence from Serbia.
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A decade after Serbia sent in troops to crush a rebellion, Kosovo prepared to declare independence on Sunday Â a bold and historic move to carve a new country out of a corner of Europe long bloodied by ethnic strife.
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Kosovo appears set to declare independence in 10 days' time, just ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers, sources in Pristina and observers say.
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Kosovo's parliament officially declared the province's independence from Serbia today, a move opposed by Serbia and Russia but supported by many western governments. "From this moment on, the political position of Kosovo changes. Kosovo is a republic -- an independent, sovereign and democratic country," Kosovo parliament speaker Jakup Krasniqi said.
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European Union's largest countries also formally recognize the independence of Kosovo from Serbia.
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The European Union approved the launch of a 2,000-strong police and justice mission for Kosovo on Saturday, a day before the breakaway province is expected to make a Western-backed declaration of independence from Serbia.
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Russia suggested Friday that Kosovo's expected Western-backed declaration of independence from Serbia will affect its policy on two separatist regions in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. But it stopped short of saying it would recognize the breakaway provinces.
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Kosovo mounts historic bid to become "independent and democratic state" backed by U.S., European allies but bitterly contested by Serbia, Russia.
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Kosovo MPs back a coalition government led by Hashim Thaci, who is pushing for independence.
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President George W. Bush  recognized on Tuesday the independence of Kosovo from Serbia  and said it would bring peace to the Balkans.
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The European Union is set to complete  authorization of a big supervisory mission in Kosovo this week,  just before the territory is expected to declare independence  from Serbia, diplomats and EU officials said.
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BELGRADE - Serbia is ready to use force to prevent Western states from recognizing Kosovo as an independent state, a senior Serbian official warned yesterday.
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The West&#39;s decision to discard  a U.N. resolution on the fate of Kosovo and pursue more talks  will not stop the breakaway province&#39;s steady march to  independence from Serbia, Kosovo politicians and analysts said.
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"There is virtual unity on Kosovo."  By David BrunnstromBRUSSELS  - Kosovo Albanian leaders said on Monday they will start immediate talks with Western backers towards an independence declaration as the EU came closer to unity in support of the province's drive to secede from Serbia.With a United Nations deadline for agreement on the future of the breakaway province expiring on Monday, Russia warned any unilateral recognition could trigger problems around the world."From today, Kosovo begins consultations with key international partners to coordinate the next steps to a declaration of independence," Skender Hyseni, spokesman of Kosovo's negotiating team with Serbia, said in Pristina. Read more
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Kosovo will get independence from Serbia  &quot;one way or another&quot; despite Russia&#39;s objections at the United  Nations, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on  Thursday.
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Kosovo's rival parties struck a power-sharing deal Monday to form a government that is expected to declare independence from Serbia this year.