Kosovo's foreign minister, Skender Hyseni, has predicted that the territory will soon be recognized as an independent state by many more countries following an international court's ruling that said Kosovo's 2008 secession from Serbia was legal.
Hyseni told reporters at the United Nations in New York City that envoys from "dozens of countries" had promised him that their nations intend to recognize an independent Kosovo following last week's nonbinding ruling by the International Court Of Justice.
Before the ruling, 69 countries had recognized Kosovo as a state.
Serbia, however, has vowed that it will never accept Kosovo's independence, and has pledged to intensify diplomatic efforts to prevent more countries from recognizing the territory as independent.
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic on July 29 met at the UN with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to discuss a draft resolution on Kosovo that Serbia wants to see adopted by the UN General Assembly.
compiled from agency reports