Though it had misgivings at first, Costa Rica this week sided with Kosovo in the Balkan province’s bid for independence from Serbia.
The Foreign Ministry congratulated Kosovo for “the successful achievement” of gaining independence democratically and peacefully.
Costa Rica “declares itself in favor of the independence of the Republic of Kosovo,” the government said in a statement.
The government added that it is “understandable” that Kosovo’s authorities, led by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, would decide to part ways with Serbia, due to “the crimes against humanity” perpetrated by then-President Slobodan Milosevic’s regime.
In the weeks leading up to Kosovo’s bid for independence, Costa Rica, which holds a seat on the United Nations Security Council, expressed doubts, saying such a move would weaken the U.N. Independence, Costa Rican Ambassador to the U.N. Jorge Urbina told The Tico Times last week, “is not appropriate.”
A province of Serbia, with an ethnic Albanian majority, Kosovo is counting on the support of the United States and key European powers, most notably France, Germany and Britain, to make its secession stick.
Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica vowed that his nation would never recognize the “false state,” calling Kosovo’s declaration of independence a “humiliation” for the European Union.
Russia, Spain, Romania and Greece are among the nations that have denounced Kosovo’s independence.
