Kosovo's parliament is expected to declare independence on Sunday afternoon to the strains of the anthem of the European Union.

Within an hour of Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci confirming the move for independence, convoys of vehicles zipped through the streets of Pristina, cheerfully honking their horns and waving Albanian, British, German, NATO and US flags. Fireworks lit up the night sky in a spontaneous celebration.

In Belgrade, more than a thousand Serbs gathered with banners, flags and religious icons to protest against Kosovo's independence move.

Serbia, which sees the region as the cradle of Serb culture and religion, and Russia, have vowed never to recognize an independent Kosovo. The United States and most EU members will recognise the new state.

Kosovo is a Serbian province, but large parts of it are more than 90 per cent ethnic Albanian. Kosovo is expected to declare independence on Sunday over Serbia's objections.

The UN has administered Kosovo since 1999, when a NATO bombing campaign forced Serbia to pull its forces out of there.

The European Union announced Saturday that it would send an 1,800-strong mission to Kosovo aimed at helping the newborn state build up its police force and judiciary. The EU will take over from the UN by early June.

Serbia's government in Belgrade immediately denounced the move as shameful.

The U.S. and most EU countries are expected to recognize Kosovo's sovereignty.

Russia and some EU countries such as Spain, Romania and Greece back Serbia in opposing the move.

EU foreign ministers are to meet Monday in Brussels to try and forge a common stance.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said veteran Dutch diplomat Pieter Feith would be appointed the EU's special representative in Kosovo and retired French Lt.-Gen. Yves de Kermabon the mission head.

NATO commanders promised a tough response to any unrest following Kosovo's declaration.

"We will react very strongly to any kind of provocation," NATO's French commander, Lt.-Gen. Xavier Bout de Marnhac, told reporters Saturday.

There are 16,000 NATO troops in Kosovo aided by unmanned aircraft.

Source: DDNEWS