ICJ: Azerbaijan and Belarus speak against Kosovo's UDI

The representative of Azerbaijan Agshin Mehdiev said that "entities which are proclaiming secession by breaking internal laws of a state cannot be considered as states".

"Some key powers involved made it clear from the outset that the process leading to independence of Kosovo, even though without the consent of the recognized sovereign, was irreversible and, under the circumstances, was an ultimo ratio way to resolve the issue. Such a stance substantially predetermined a unilateral approach and influenced to a considerable extent the willingness of the parties concerned to negotiate in good faith towards finding a consensual solution", Mehdiev said.

Elena Gritsenko, the representative of Belarus, said that "if one analyses the situation with Kosovo's Declaration of Independence beyond the traditional decolonization context of external self-determination, we will come to the conclusion that there are no convincing legal arguments in favour of Kosovo's secession from the Republic of Serbia".

The Austrian delegation representative Helmut Tichy stated that there were "no rules that prohibited a declaration of independence or secession in international law".

Bolivia , Brazil , Bulgaria and Burundi are presenting their views on Friday, while the hearing itself will last until December 11.