"I'm not here to say if it (Kosovo's declaration of independence) is legal or illegal," Ban said.

"The independence of Kosovo has been recognized by a number of countries, and I'd like to remind you that the recognition of States is for the States and not for the UN Secretariat," the UN Secretary General said.

He stressed the future developments and operational structures in Kosovo will be carried out in accordance with Security Council's resolution 1244.

UNSC Resolution 1244, adopted at the end of Kosovo's 1998-1999 war, gave the disputed province "substantial autonomy" under Serbian sovereignty and gave a UN mission known as UNMIK a mandate to administer the province with NATO's help.

"I have met with (Serbian) President (Boris) Tadic and reported to him that the situation is largely calm. I have again urged him, as I have done to all others, to exercise maximum restraint and to support our efforts to maintain a secure environment," Ban said.

He also said, he has received a letter from EU's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, informing him about EU's decision to deploy a 'Rule of Law mission'and a European Union Special Representative there.

Kosovo declared itself an independent state on Sunday with tens of thousands of people celebrating and welcoming the declaration.

Meanwhile, a top Russian Federation Representative has slammed the developments in Pristina saying Moscow continue to recognize the Republic of Serbia within the internationally- recognized borders.

"The February 17 declaration of independence by Serbian province's Kosovo local Assembly is a blatant breach of norms and principles of international law, above all of the UN Charter, that undermines the foundations of the international relations system," Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said.

This "illegal act" is an open violation of sovereignty of Republic of Serbia, high-level Contact Group accords, Kosovos Constitutional Framework, UNSCR 1244 -- which is the basic document for the Kosovo settlement, and other UN Security Councils relevant decisions, he added.

The Russian envoy noted that the unilateral declaration of independence by the province's leadership poses a threat to peace and security in the Balkans.

"The illegal act of the Kosovo Albanian leadership and of those who support them set a dangerous precedent. They are fraught with an escalation of tension and inter-ethnic violence in the province, destructive consequences for inter-state relations that took decades to build," he added.

Churkin termed the unilateral declaration of independence by Pristina and its recognition by some states as incompatible to the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act, which specifies the principles of inviolability of frontiers and territorial integrity of states and allow changes to state frontiers only in accordance with international law, by peaceful means and by agreement.