UN: Kosovo independence legal

The UN's International Court of Justice ruled that Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in 2008 did not violate international law because there are no prohibitions against such declarations. The ICJ ruling is an advisory only and not binding in any way.

Serbia maintained that it's former province of Kosovo has been a fundamental component of Serbian national identity for hundreds of years and that the territory rightfully remains a Serbian province. It was unlikely that Serbia would have changed its opinion. Russia also dismissed the court's ruling.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will forward the ICJ's advisory opinion to the General Assembly which had requested the court's advice.

Currently, 69 nations have recognized Kosovo, including the US and 22 of the 27 EU member states.