Koštunica, Gryzlov back UN decision on Kosovo

Koštunica, Gryzlov back UN decision on Kosovo

Koštunica urged “new, real negotiations on Kosovo and Metohija that will lead to a compromise solution reached by Belgrade and Priština.”

The fresh talks must be based on UN Resolution 1244 and be mandated by the Security Council, he added.

Gryzlov and Koštunica today signed a cooperation agreement between the parties they head, United Russia and Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS).

Gryzlov said after the ceremony that Kosovo’s future status was “an issue for the UN”, adding it was up to that international organization to make the decisions, “which then must be obeyed by other international factors.”

Gryzlov and a delegation from the Duma will be meeting with President Boris Tadić and Parliament Speaker Oliver Dulić in Belgrade today.

Serbia 2, Russia 9

On a lighter note, after today's meetings discussing state and party politics, the Serbian lawmakers were squaring off in a football match against members of the Russian Duma.

Boris Gryzlov participated in the friendly played at the Red Star FC stadium.

The parlamentarians braved Belgrade's nearly 40 degrees in shade this afternoon to start the match at 6 p.m.

Serbians were wearing the national jerseys and the team’s captain was G17 Plus official Miloljub Albijanić.

Full time score seems to have proved the cynics right: Russia won by 9 goals to 2, although early reports do not indicate whether the disappointing result is due to poor goalkeeping or the Russian strikers' good form.

Namely, rumors were rife in parliamentary circles ahead of the game that the match will be fixed, "in order to stay on the good side of Russia while discussions in the United Nations Security Council for the status of Kosovo are ongoing."

The credibility of the outcome was not helped by the fact that a member of the Serb Radical Party (SRS) was the goalkeeper, sources have opined. 

Lawmakers from the ranks of the Democrats have said they would be satisfied if the Serbian squad goalie does not "score own goals", while the Radical under fire pledged to give his best to bring victory to his side. 

In the end, Dejan Mirović (SRS) in the 42nd and Tamaš Tot (DS) in the 56th minute found the back of the net to alleviate the disappointing loss.