BELGRADE—Serbia recalled its ambassador to the United States on Monday after Washington recognised Kosovo as independent, and said it would do the same for all countries that treat Serbia's breakaway territory as a state.
"We ordered the urgent withdrawal of our ambassador to Washington, and his return to Belgrade, that is the government's first urgent measure," Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica told a special session of parliament.
"This will apply to all countries that recognise Kosovo's unilateral independence," he said, without specifically mentioning EU states that also said they would recognise Pristina.
Serbia's southern province of Kosovo declared independence on Sunday after almost nine years under U.N. administration.
Kostunica said the U.S. move continued the NATO aggression which began when it bombed Serbia in 1999 to expel Serb forces from Kosovo and stop a brutal crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists.
"We all know that this unilateral, illegal, violent and immoral proclamation of a false state on the territory of Serbia was possible only under the auspices of brutal force, of the U.S. and NATO," he said.
"The proof is the attempt to avoid the United Nations, and the disunity among European Union member states in spite of unbearable pressure by the U.S."
Kostunica said recognition showed the true face of Washington's "policy of force". He repeated accusations that the United States supported Kosovo's independence so that it can have a "military training ground and a NATO warehouse".
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.
"The main goal of Serbia's state policy is the return of Kosovo to Serbia," he said in the address carried live on state television. "From now on, we will act to secure a free and safe life for our citizens in Kosovo."
Some 120,000 Serbs still live in Kosovo, among 2 million Albanians. Belgrade, which has said it will not use force, has no practical chance of winning the province back.
Kostunica said an EU police and justice mission that would soon be deployed to Kosovo was illegal and represented a breach of Serbian sovereignty. Belgrade did not recognise it, and dismissed its authority.
He also appealed for calm after two days of at times violent protests in Belgrade, directed mostly at U.S. and EU embassies and businesses, some of which were vandalised.
"We must be wise and persistent and show our dignity and strength," he said. "Serbia has to maintain stability in order to regain Kosovo."
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