Ireland recognizes Kosovo's independence

DUBLIN, Ireland: Ireland has formally recognized the political independence of Kosovo, arguing that past warfare made its continued place within Serbia "unthinkable."

Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern said the entire Cabinet voted Thursday night to accept the Kosovan parliament's Feb. 17 declaration of independence from Serbia.

"I know that the independence of Kosovo is painful for Serbia, and difficult to accept. And I want to underline that recognition of Kosovo is not an act of hostility toward Serbia," Ahern said.

"The reality is that the legacy of the conflict of the late 1990s made the return of Serb dominion in Kosovo unthinkable, and also undermined the prospects for a long-sought compromise," he said.

Ireland joins the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Denmark, Belgium, Latvia, Estonia, Luxembourg, Australia and Turkey in extending recognition to the breakaway republic.

Five European Union members — Spain, Romania, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia — say they will not recognize Kosovo because this would inspire nationalist breakaway movements worldwide.

Ireland, which fought a successful 1919-21 war of independence from Britain, traditionally sympathizes with independence movements.

Serbia considers Kosovo to be the foundation stone of its own national identity. Russia, a U.N. Security Council member allied to Serbia, has vowed to block U.N. recognition of Kosovan independence.