Angered by the decisions on October 9 2008 by the cabinets of Montenegro and Macedonia to recognise Kosovo as independent, Serbia expelled Montenegrin ambassador Anka Vojvodic and Macedonian ambassador Aleksandar Vasilevski.

Montenegro's cabinet voted unanimously to recognise Kosovo, and some hours later, after a prolonged debate in parliament which ended in a substantial majority of MPs voting in favour of recognition of Kosovo, Macedonia's cabinet followed suit.

The steps by the two countries came just a day after Serbia won a symbolic victory in the United Nations General Assembly with approval of its resolution requesting that the February 2008 unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo be referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an opinion.

On October 9, Serbia's cabinet approved reinstating its ambassadors to all countries from which they had been withdrawn because their governments had recognised Kosovo. Serbia earlier reinstated its ambassadors to European Union countries that had recognised Kosovo.

Just a few hours later, Belgrade ordered the expulsion of Vojvodic, and on October 10 it was reported that the Macedonian ambassador was also being expelled and that Serbia had sent a note of protest to the government in Skopje. In an apparent attempt at damage control, Montenegro and Macedonia issued a joint statement saying that their decisions were not meant against Serbia. Several diplomats, commentators and media reports have said that Podgorica and Skopje moved to recognise Kosovo to win points in favour of their respective bids to join the EU.

The move by Montenegro was a sharp twist in relations with Belgrade. After the breakup of Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro were joined in a short-lived "state union" which was dissolved after Montenegro voted in a referendum to secede from the union.

Serbian news website B92 quoted Serbian foreign minister Vuk Jeremic as saying that the Montenegrin ambassador was being expelled because the decision by the government in Podgorica came after the UN General Assembly vote on Kosovo.

"Countries that have not thus far recognised Kosovo, now, after the ICJ has begun to consider that issue, have absolutely no reason to do so, other than to prejudice the court's final verdict," Jeremic said.

He said that Serbia would continue to apply harsh measures as it believes that there is no reason to recognise Kosovo's independence at a time when the ICJ is considering the case.

Serbian news agency Beta quoted Jeremic as saying, before the Macedonian government decision was announced: "I would not be surprised if the government in Skopje were to bring the same decision. We are prepared for it. Montenegro's decision has been made under great external pressure, from those whose views of the Kosovo problem suffered a massive defeat (in the UN) yesterday".

Macedonian foreign minister Antonio Milososki announced the cabinet decision at a news conference, saying that the government in Skopje had decided to follow up parliament's decision by recognizing the "independence and sovereignty" of Kosovo.

Moscow, Serbia's firmest ally in opposing the independence of Kosovo, made plain its disapproval of the moves by Montenegro and Macedonia, but in Pristina, the Kosovo media exulted.

Kosovo's daily Express published on its front page a headline in the language variously known as Serbo-Croatian or Montegrin: "Thank you very much, Montenegro".

The newspaper said: "Slobodan Milosevic once said that Montenegro and Serbia are like the two eyes of one head. As of yesterday, Serbia is without one eye. The Montenegrins ignored Serbian threats and recognised Kosovo's independence".

Express said that unlike the Montenegrins, Macedonians required diplomatic pressure to recognise Kosovo as independent.

In Washington, state department spokesperson Sean McCormack said: "The increase in the number of countries that have recognised Kosovo confirms its progress in implementing a stable, multi-ethnic and democratic society, ready to build normal political and trade relations with its neighbours and the international community in general".