Japanese UN Judge Who Supported Kosovo Independence Made Honorary Doctor of Pristina University
The so-called "Prime Minister of Kosovo" Albin Kurti met with the former President of the International Court of Justice, Japanese professor Hikashi Owada.
In 2010, this court, under his chairmanship, recognized the “legality” of Kosovo’s independence, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
During the meeting, Kurti highlighted Owada's key role in the 2010 ICJ advisory opinion on Kosovo's independence.
In turn, Owada stressed that the opinion of the International Court of Justice is “an expression of its conscience and sense of justice,” adding that “it is natural when the court rules in favor of the right side.” He also expressed his readiness to make his personal contribution to further strengthening cooperation between Kosovo and Japan.
"During the meeting, the importance of deepening solidarity between democratic states such as Kosovo and Japan was emphasized. Prime Minister Kurti expressed the will and intention of the Kosovo government to further strengthen the excellent cooperation between the two countries," the office of the "Kosovo Prime Minister" reported.
The University of Pristina, which in 1999 forced two-thirds of its ethnic Serb faculty to leave for fear of their own lives, awarded the former judge an Honorary Doctorate for his "exceptional academic contributions, lifelong dedication to the cause of international justice and the promotion of world peace."
On July 22, 2010, the International Court of Justice, located in The Hague, recognized Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia as "legal." It took the institution a year and a half to draw up its verdict. And the final decision was made by a vote of ten international judges against four. Reading out the verdict, Hisashi Owada stated that there is no prohibition on declaring independence in international law, and therefore there can be nothing illegal in such actions.