In the lead-up to the ICJ's announcement, Serbian PM Boris Tadic said this:
“If the I.C.J. opinion establishes a new principle, an entire process of creating new states would open throughout the world, something that would destabilize many regions of the world."Presumably because they agree with Tadic, separatist targets Spain, Russia, and China have aggressively argued against recognition of Kosovo's independence.
So: true or false?
Does this decision destabilize the globe? Do you expect that Catalunya, Xinjiang, Dagestan, and Texas will declare independence? (And if they do, does it really mean anything?)
While we're at it, let's flash all the way back to Versailles: aware as we all are that self-determination is a bit of a slippery slope, is the will of the resident majority justification enough for independence?
UPDATE: More on this subject from Joshua Keating at FP.com. (Nothing like the Abkhazian president lauding Russia's "rightfulness" to brighten up a grouchy afternoon!)
