Strasbourg, 19/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - Speaking to the press on Tuesday 19 February, Graham Watson, President of the Liberals (ALDE), said that Kosovo's proclaimed independence is the inevitable result of lengthy diplomatic procedure. Independence will entail responsibilities: - the ethnic Albanian majority should ensure that the rights and identity of the Serbian minority are protected, and Belgrade should do everything possible to calm the tension in Serbia and protect the diplomatic representations. Although Watson considers that 18 EU member states out of 27 in favour of recognising an independent Kosovo is not a very good score, he nonetheless takes the view that the fears of outrageous Balkanisation have been exaggerated. There is some exaggeration in Cyprus and Spain, he said. Graham Watson went on to say he did not encourage declarations or movements of independence but stressed the importance of allowing national identity to thrive. (E.H.)