EU Force Set for Kosovo on Eve of Independence

As Kosovo stands poised to declare independence from Serbia, the European Union is preparing to send a civilian police and justice mission to help enforce the rule of law in the fledgling country. The US and most of the EU support Kosovar independence; Serbia and Russia oppose it, but will not intervene with the EU mission, BBC reports.

Excitement is building in Kosovo, where many expect the declaration of independence to come tomorrow, to the strains of "Ode to Joy," the EU anthem, AFP reports. The 2,000-strong EU force, which will begin arriving next week, seeks to prevent human rights abuses, fight corruption and organized crime, and track down suspected war criminals. (More Kosovo stories.)