SERBIA-KOSOVO-POLITICS-CHILDREN

Kosovo Albanian children paint an Albanian eagle and a map of Kosovo on a wall in the village of Livoc on February 16, 2008. Kosovo began its long-awaited final countdown to statehood on Friday, with Prime Minister Hashim Thaci poised to confirm Sunday as the day it will declare independence from Serbia. It will do so with strong support from the major EU powers and the United States, and equally vigorous opposition from Serbia and Russia, which have vowed never to recognise it. AFP PHOTO / ARMEND NIMANI