The court's long-awaited “advisory opinion” was released on Thursday. In a statement issued later in the day, the Foreign Ministry said it “should be considered a new window of opportunity for the establishment of lasting peace and stability in the Balkans as well as for the enhancement of regional cooperation. Reading the decision from that perspective would certainly serve the common good of the region.”
Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Ankara's welcoming stance for an independent Kosovo strained its ties with Serbia, but tension eventually subsided and Turkish-Serbian ties ahve improved drastically over the past year. Earlier this month, the two countries agreed to abolish visa requirements for their nationals.
The Foreign Ministry reiterated Turkish support for Kosovo's independence, saying that the preservation of Kosovo's territorial integrity was of great importance and expressed hope that the ICJ ruling “will give fresh impetus to efforts aimed at developing a positive and constructive dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.”
It also called for Kosovo's integration with European and Euro-Atlantic institutions. “We are happy to observe that a European integration perspective is shared by all the countries in the region. This vision, which will shape the region's common future, provides the necessary ground for settling existing problems in the culture of conciliation, and for transforming the Balkans into a region of peace, stability and prosperity,” the ministry's statement said.
