SA still thinking about Kosovo

2008-02-18 12:45

Pretoria - The South African government is still deciding whether to recognise Kosovo as an independent country, Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said on Monday.

Speaking in Pretoria she said the government still had to discuss Sunday's declaration of independence by Kosovo from Serbia, and make a decision on recognition.

"Our government has to discuss it and see what the implications of all this (are)," she said.

It is expected that the decision would have to be taken soon as it would again be discussed by the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday afternoon.

South Africa is one of the 15 countries represented in the Security Council.

Kosovo on Sunday declared its independence from Serbia.

It has been under UN control since mid-1999, after a Nato air assault drove out Serbian forces waging a crackdown on separatist ethnic Albanian guerrillas and their civilian supporters.

Russia failed on Sunday to secure the backing of the Security Council for its call to declare the independence declaration "null and void".

On Tuesday afternoon, an open debate is planned by the Security Council, at Serbia's request.

- SAPA