EU's reaction to potential new Sudanese state unclear

As members of the European Parliament help to monitor southern Sudan's referendum on independence, EU officials concede it is unclear how the bloc will react to the potential creation of a new sovereign state.

Kosovo's declaration of independence in early 2008 famously split the 27-member union, with five EU states - Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Romania and Slovakia – opting to reject recognition rather than set a precedent for domestic territorial disputes.

Forecasts predict that vote...