UN court to issue Kosovo ruling on July 22
(AFP)
THE HAGUE — The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is to give an advisory opinion on July 22 as to whether Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia was legal, the court announced on Wednesday.
President of the Court Judge Hisashi Owada is to read out the ruling at a public sitting at 3:00 pm (1300 GMT) in The Hague, it said in a statement.
Serbia, Kosovo and 29 states including Russia and the United States took part in oral hearings before the court in December after the United Nations general assembly took the issue to the ICJ at the request of Serbia.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008 and so far, 69 countries recognise Kosovo as a state, including the United States and 22 out of 27 EU countries.
Serbia went to the UN's top court because it wants to challenge the legality of the declaration. The ICJ has been asked to give a non-binding opinion.
Since it was founded in 1946, the ICJ has handed down 25 advisory opinions as part of its mission to settle international legal disputes.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jEa6hHPaPc1oyqkYh8xXa_qhopOg
