Albanian premier urges Serbia to recognize Kosovo

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Wednesday urged Serbia to recognize Kosovo as an independent state.

The sooner Serbia recognizes Kosovo, the better it will be for everyone, including Serbia itself, Rama told a news conference in Moscow.

"We support dialogue, reconciliation and finding a common ground to make this happen," he said, adding that both the sides should refrain from accusations -- something that could hinder progress.

He questioned as to why other states had the right to independence if Kosovo was being deprived of it.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 but Belgrade insists the country is one of its provinces.

Since then, the international community remains divided on its recognition as a sovereign state.

While more than 100 countries, including the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and Turkey recognize its independence, Russia and China, among others, oppose it.