Serbia backs down on Kosovo
Serbia backed a resolution at the UN General Assembly that called for dialogue between it and Kosovo. Serbia backed the resolution only after being strong-armed by the EU into softening its stance on Kosovo. Previously, Serbia had tabled a draft resolution which said that Kosovo's unilateral secession was unacceptable, and called for a "mutually acceptable solution for all outstanding issues". However, the stance was softened considerably when the EU warned that it could jeopardise Serbia's chances of gaining EU membership. In July, the International Court of Justice ruled that Kosovo's secession did not violate international law, and given that the US and EU have recognised Kosovo's independence, Serbia may have just been forced to give up its fight to keep its former province. Read more: The Guardian, The BBC and Reuters
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