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UK Backs Kosovo's Sovereignty After Thaci War Crimes Ruling
(MENAFN) Britain has renewed its pledge of "firm support" for Kosovo's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, hours after a war crimes tribunal delivered a landmark verdict against former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci.
British Minister for Europe Lord Wood of Anfield said in a statement Wednesday that the UK respects the Court's independence and judicial process, and reaffirmed London's commitment to justice, accountability and reconciliation throughout the region. He described the UK as standing firmly alongside Kosovo, backing its sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as broader peace across the Western Balkans.
Lord Wood cautioned that the tribunal's findings apply to individuals, not nations, and warned against using the ruling to stoke tensions between communities or across the wider region. He characterized the verdict handed down by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers as a major milestone, while stressing that it carries no bearing on Kosovo's statehood, sovereignty, or its right to chart its own future.
The minister added that political leaders and public figures now carry a heightened responsibility—to promote calm, keep any public reaction peaceful, and prioritize people's safety above all else.
Hashim Thaci, 58, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges including murder, torture and unlawful detention, stemming from his role as a top commander of the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army during the conflict that led to Kosovo's split from Serbia in the 1990s.
Born in 1968, Thaci went on to become Kosovo's first prime minister, serving from 2008 to 2014, before rising to the presidency in 2016—a post he held until stepping down in 2020.
Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008. Serbia, however, continues to regard Kosovo as its "own territory."
British Minister for Europe Lord Wood of Anfield said in a statement Wednesday that the UK respects the Court's independence and judicial process, and reaffirmed London's commitment to justice, accountability and reconciliation throughout the region. He described the UK as standing firmly alongside Kosovo, backing its sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as broader peace across the Western Balkans.
Lord Wood cautioned that the tribunal's findings apply to individuals, not nations, and warned against using the ruling to stoke tensions between communities or across the wider region. He characterized the verdict handed down by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers as a major milestone, while stressing that it carries no bearing on Kosovo's statehood, sovereignty, or its right to chart its own future.
The minister added that political leaders and public figures now carry a heightened responsibility—to promote calm, keep any public reaction peaceful, and prioritize people's safety above all else.
Hashim Thaci, 58, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges including murder, torture and unlawful detention, stemming from his role as a top commander of the ethnic Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army during the conflict that led to Kosovo's split from Serbia in the 1990s.
Born in 1968, Thaci went on to become Kosovo's first prime minister, serving from 2008 to 2014, before rising to the presidency in 2016—a post he held until stepping down in 2020.
Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008. Serbia, however, continues to regard Kosovo as its "own territory."
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