PRISTINA—Europe's major powers and the United States said on Monday they were recognising Kosovo, a day after it seceded from Serbia.
Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said the U.S. move showed the "true face" of its policy of force and ordered the immediate recall of Belgrade's ambassador from Washington.
He said envoys would be recalled from other capitals that recognised Kosovo but did not mention by name Paris, which did so first after a European Union foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, nor London, Berlin and Rome who followed.
"The United States has today formally recognised Kosovo as a sovereign and independent state. We congratulate the people of Kosovo on this historic occasion," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said—words Kosovo's 2 million Albanians had long dreamed of hearing.
Washington led NATO allies to military intervention against Serbia over its treatment of the Albanians in the 1998-99 guerrilla uprising.
Recognition was a great relief for Pristina which had nervously awaited the West's expected blessing of its secession, but a black day for Serbia, which vowed never to concede the loss of a spiritual homeland steeped in myth.
"The recognition of Kosovo is as important as the declaration of independence," Kosovo Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci told Reuters. "We are grateful."
Serbs were angry and bitter.
In Banja Luka, capital of the Bosnian Serb Republic, protesters demanding Serb independence from Bosnia threw stones at the U.S., French and German consulates. They chanted "Kill, Kill Shiptars", a pejorative name for Albanians.
Stand on Kosovo?
The United States and Europe's leading powers said on Monday they were recognising the independence of Kosovo, a day after the majority Albanian territory seceded from Serbia.
Serbia opposes the move, as does Russia. Germany said 17 of the European Union's 27 members would take a quick decision on recognition.
Here is a list of countries which have declared their intentions.
Recognise:
Afghanistan—Afghanistan said on Monday that it recognized and supported Kosovo as an independent country.
Albania—Prime Minister Sali Berisha said Albania recognised Kosovo's independence. Albania has said it will help
the new state's economy by giving access to its Adriatic ports.
Britain—Foreign Minister David Miliband announced on Monday that Britain will recognise the independence of Kosovo.
France—France recognised Kosovo's independence on Monday after European Union foreign ministers adopted a joint statement on the breakaway Serbian province's future. The EU vowed in a statement to work for stability in the region while leaving each member free to decide on recognising Kosovo's independence.
Germany—Germany said it will recognise the independence of Kosovo.
Italy—Massimo D'Alema, Italy's foreign minister, said on Monday it will recognise Kosovo as an independent state under international supervision.
Turkey—Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said on Monday that Turkey had decided to recognise Kosovo as an independent state.
United States—The United States formally recognised Kosovo "as a sovereign and independent state", Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a statement on Monday.
Do Not Recognise:
Azerbaijan—Ex-Soviet Azerbaijan says it does not recognize Kosovo's independence.
EU Countries—Several EU countries, including Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia and Bulgaria, have indicated they will not recognise Kosovo now because of legal misgivings or concern about restive minorities in their own countries.
Romania—Romania says it will not recognise the independence of Kosovo, but will not block the EU's stance.
Spain—Spain, grappling with its own separatist movements, has vowed not to recognise the new state.
Vietnam—A non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, says it opposes the declaration of independence.
Serbs marched peacefully in Belgrade, where riot police were on alert after Western embassies were attacked by hooligans on Sunday night. A few Albanian-owned shops had their windows smashed, but there was no new rioting.
"I appeal to citizens to stop all protests which lead to violence and unrest, because that is not the way to help either Serbia or the defence of Kosovo," Kostunica said, calling Serbs to a major rally on Thursday.
Minority Dissent
Russia stood by its ally Serbia in refusing recognition, but practical steps they can take are limited. Moscow has vowed never to allow Kosovo to win a U.N. seat.
Turkey also recognised Kosovo, a territory it ruled for 500 years in Ottoman times, and neighbouring Albania -- anxious not to be first, to avoid charges that it covets Kosovo -- joined the growing list ready to send in their ambassadors.
Kosovo Albanians poured onto the streets of the capital Pristina waving and kissing French, German, British, Italian and U.S. flags.
Britain's envoy in Kosovo later announced an immediate upgrade to embassy status.
But Spain, facing its own separatist struggles, led a minority of EU states that will say "no" to Kosovo independence, complaining that the move had "no international legal basis".
And Italy, sensitive to Serbia's sense of grievance, noted that it "recognises Kosovo as an independent state under international supervision" -- a reminder that Kosovo will remain under outside control, as it has been for the last nine years since NATO drove out Serb forces to protect ethnic Albanians.
U.S. President George W. Bush had earlier appeared to jump the gun ahead of his own State Department, saying the people of Kosovo "are now independent".
This was flashed in Kosovo as official U.S. recognition, but a White House spokeswoman quickly said it was not.
The real thing came just a few hours later, in line with the original script which called for the EU to go first in announcing its policy on what the West insists is a "European issue" that Russia should not interfere in.
"Around 17 (EU) states have decided to react quickly so as to avoid creating a vacuum with indecisive behaviour," said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Bulgaria, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Hungary joined or were joining the early recognisers.
The Czech Republic, Netherlands, Portugal, Greece and Slovakia were still making up their minds.
The 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference also congratulated Kosovo, whose Albanians are nominally Muslim but secular in practice.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Kosovo's independence marked "the end of the Balkan troubles". But in Serbia's capital, student Jelena had a different view.
"This country is getting smaller and smaller," she said. "We are marching to show that we're against it."
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