Europe's biggest states and the US said yesterday they would recognise Kosovo's independence, just a day after it announced it was seceding from Serbia.
France was the first state to announce that it was formally recognising Kosovo at an EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels. Britain, Germany, Italy and several other member states followed shortly afterwards, pledging to recognise Europe's newest state.
"It's the end of the Balkan troubles. I hope it's over. And now we need reconciliation, even now I know that will take a long time," said French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner, adding that Kosovo would receive its letter of recognition late last night.
But the EU remains divided over whether to formally recognise Kosovo, with a group of six states - Spain, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Cyprus, Romania and Greece - all refusing to do so for fear that it will inspire separatist movements in their own countries.
"The government of Spain will not recognise the unilateral act proclaimed yesterday by the assembly of Kosovo," said Spain's foreign minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos. "We will not recognise because we consider . . . this does not respect international law."
Spain was one of the six member states that insisted on a compromise EU statement, which says that Kosovo does not set a precedent for other territorial disputes and leaves it up to each member state to decide on their future relations.
Russia, a key ally of Serbia, has said that Kosovo's declaration of independence violates the UN charter and any recognition by states would undermine international law. It has also criticised the deployment of a 2,200-strong EU police and civil administration mission to Kosovo, which is due to be deployed over the next three months.
Serbia yesterday filed criminal charges against Kosovo's leaders in retaliation for their declaration of independence and vowed to work with Russia to prevent the fledgling state joining international organisations. Thousands of demonstrators in Belgrade held peaceful protests against the declaration, which sparked rioting on Sunday night in the Serbian capital.
But despite deadlock at the UN where Russia and China hold vetoes, the US said it would recognise Kosovo's independence.
"The United States has today formally recognised Kosovo as a sovereign and independent state. We congratulate the people of Kosovo on this historic occasion," secretary of state Condoleezza Rice said in a statement.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern confirmed he would bring a memo to next week's Cabinet meeting recommending that Ireland formally recognise Kosovo. If this is approved, as expected, the Government will write to Kosovo's leadership notifying it of Ireland's formal recognition, he told journalists. Ireland has agreed to send nine members of An Garda Síochána on the EU's police mission.