As predicted a day earlier by diplomatic sources, three South Eastern European countries - Bulgaria, Hungary and Croatia - made a joint statement on March 19, voicing their common position on Kosovo.

The three governments did not commit themselves to outright recognition of the province, which unilaterally broke away from Serbia on February 17, nor did they give detailed timelines for when they would decide on the issue. Bulgaria's Cabinet will discuss the issue for the first time at its planned meeting on March 20.

"The decision on the recognition of Kosovo is based on thorough consideration and on the conclusions adopted by the General Affairs and External Relations Council of the European Union on 12 February 2007 and 18 February 2008, as well as by the European Council on 14 December 2007," according to the statement, made available by the Cabinet press service.

“The declaration of independence of Kosovo came after the failure of all the efforts of the international community to find a negotiated solution between Belgrade and Pristina on the status of Kosovo. In these circumstances the change of the unsustainable status quo was unavoidable."

Kosovo institutions had committed to "fully implement the principles and the arrangements envisaged by the [...] Ahtisaari Plan for the Kosovo Status Settlement", which all three countries supported. They would also "continue to support the active commitment of the EU and Nato to the stability and democracy-building in Kosovo."

But the three governments also reiterated the stand-alone nature of the Kosovo situation, saying it was a "sui generis case arising from the unique circumstances of the disintegration of former Yugoslavia as well as the continued period of international administration."

Bulgaria, Hungary and Croatia were also keen to stress out that they wanted good neighbourly relations with Serbia, saying they would support their neighbour's continued integration in the EU. The three countries "favour the earliest possible signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Serbia and the European Union so that Serbia could become in time a candidate country and later a full-fledged member of the European Union."

Belgrade has so far delivered on its threats to witdraw diplomats from countries that recognised Kosovo's declaration of independence, with Japan and Canada joining the list earlier on March 19 and taking their number to 29 countries.