The United Nations' highest court has ruled that Kosovo's declaration of independence was legal, dealing a blow to Serbia, which vowed never to accept its former province as a separate state and warned the ruling could embolden separatist movements around the world.
Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci hailed Thursday's ruling as a "historic victory" and "the best possible answer for the entire world," while Foreign Minister Skender Hyseni said outside the International Court of Justice: "my message to the government of Serbia is 'come and talk to us.'"
Kosovo, a tiny patch of the Balkans with a population of two million, declared independence in February 2008 after years of fruitless talks with Belgrade about its desire to break away.
