"Russia draws red line over Kosovo"

Russia is not a rival to the U.S., but it will not horse-trade, Russian Foreing Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday. Lavrov addressed students at the Moscow State Institute for International Relations, adding that, "our partners should realize that we don’t bargain, regardless of our policy of non-confrontation." "Russia draws red line over Kosovo" "There are so-called 'red line' issues for Russia. There we cannot fail to react and we must stick to our position to the end." The minister stated that this "red line" related to the American desire to deploy a missile shield in Europe, resolving of the Kosovo crisis, expanding the North-Atlantic alliance, and the treaty on conventional arms reduction in Europe. Lavrov also said that "Russia opposes unilateral or block solutions when it comes to settling security matters." Sergei Lavrov (FoNet) December 10 not necessarily Kosovo talks deadline Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko says that December 10 is not the deadline for settling Kosovo’s future status. Russia’s representative to the Contact Group mediating Troika told Beta today that December 10 is the deadline for submission of the report on the talks’ results to the Security Council, but that "it does not mean an end to the negotiating process". He said that the report would then be analysed in the Security Council, adding that "from there it will be up to the Security Council to decide what happens next, not the Troika." "Besides which, it is not even clear what the results of the talks will be, nor for that matter the final decision," concluded Kharchenko.

"Russia draws red line over Kosovo"

"There are so-called 'red line' issues for Russia. There we cannot fail to react and we must stick to our position to the end."

The minister stated that this "red line" related to the American desire to deploy a missile shield in Europe, resolving of the Kosovo crisis, expanding the North-Atlantic alliance, and the treaty on conventional arms reduction in Europe.

Lavrov also said that "Russia opposes unilateral or block solutions when it comes to settling security matters."

December 10 not necessarily Kosovo talks deadline

Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko says that December 10 is not the deadline for settling Kosovo’s future status.

Russia’s representative to the Contact Group mediating Troika told Beta today that December 10 is the deadline for submission of the report on the talks’ results to the Security Council, but that "it does not mean an end to the negotiating process".

He said that the report would then be analysed in the Security Council, adding that "from there it will be up to the Security Council to decide what happens next, not the Troika."

"Besides which, it is not even clear what the results of the talks will be, nor for that matter the final decision," concluded Kharchenko.