ICJ to hear Russian, U.S. arguments

The public hearing in the Kosovo case is set to continue today in The Hague for the sixth day.

After yesterday’s arguments presented by China – the first permanent member of the UN Security Council to participate in the proceedings – today the judges will hear the arguments of Russia and the United States.

The two countries are heading two blocks in the United Nations – one favoring, and the other opposing the Kosovo Albanian unilateral proclamation of independence. 

This will be the first time in the last 50 years that Russians and Americans face each other directly in an international court, reports said. 

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearing is set to continue until the end of this week, but the judges are expected to give their advisory opinion on the legality of the proclamation several months later. 

The case was forwarded to the court by the UN General Assembly last fall, at the request of Serbia.