Moscow to lodge protest over EULEX

Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Konuzin says his country will send a demarche to the UN over EULEX. "Serbia must insist on rejection of illegal steps, whether they're taken by the European Union or the UN Secretariat. Russia will give you the most energetic support in this," Konuzin told the daily Politika in an interview published today. Moscow to lodge protest over EULEX "We have said it many times that international presence in Kosovo is based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244. Therefore, any change of its mandate or format, such as deployment of an EU mission in the province, must take place with the UN SC approval and agreement from all concerned sides," the top Russian diplomat in Serbia explained. "Belgrade has rejected EULEX because it works to realize the Ahtisaari plan, which has been rejected by the Security Council. We will be guided by this in the future as well. This does not exclude other, non-provocative forms of EU's participation in helping solve the Kosovo issue. Of course, in line with the resolution I mentioned," Konuzin said. But he added that UNMIK's reconfiguration had started without an UN SC decision. "Brussels plans to have EULEX enter Kosovo through that process. We are aware of this, and it is illegal. Russia plans to send a demarche to the UN Secretariat and ask an explanation for this at a Security Council session," the ambassador continued. Asked how Belgrade can avoid opening up the door for EULEX in talks that the UN refers to as "technical", Konuzin repeated that Belgrade must insists on rejection of all illegal steps, while Russia will back it "most energetically". He would not comment on statements coming from fellow ambassadors, who warned Serbia against going to the International Court of Justice, ICJ, over the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' declaration of independence. Asked whether Russia's annexation of the breakaway Georgian regions would mean its recognition of Kosovo's secession, Konuzin said that Moscow on many occasions warned its partners that the case of Kosovo was setting a precedent. "They would not believe us. They were convincing us it was 'a unique' case. However, the latest bloody events, unfortunately, only proved us right. It is not ruled out that the Kosovo precedent will echo in other regions of the world as well," the ambassador said. He also confirmed that he spoke to President Boris Tadic and PM Mirko Cvetkovic about the strategic energy agreement signed in Moscow in January, still awaiting ratification, but would not reveal many details from this conversation. "I am very pleased that we have a close approach on how to solve this problem," Konuzin said.

Moscow to lodge protest over EULEX

"We have said it many times that international presence in Kosovo is based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244. Therefore, any change of its mandate or format, such as deployment of an EU mission in the province, must take place with the UN SC approval and agreement from all concerned sides," the top Russian diplomat in Serbia explained.

"Belgrade has rejected EULEX because it works to realize the Ahtisaari plan, which has been rejected by the Security Council. We will be guided by this in the future as well. This does not exclude other, non-provocative forms of EU's participation in helping solve the Kosovo issue. Of course, in line with the resolution I mentioned," Konuzin said.

But he added that UNMIK's reconfiguration had started without an UN SC decision.

"Brussels plans to have EULEX enter Kosovo through that process. We are aware of this, and it is illegal. Russia plans to send a demarche to the UN Secretariat and ask an explanation for this at a Security Council session," the ambassador continued.

Asked how Belgrade can avoid opening up the door for EULEX in talks that the UN refers to as "technical", Konuzin repeated that Belgrade must insists on rejection of all illegal steps, while Russia will back it "most energetically".

He would not comment on statements coming from fellow ambassadors, who warned Serbia against going to the International Court of Justice, ICJ, over the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' declaration of independence.

Asked whether Russia's annexation of the breakaway Georgian regions would mean its recognition of Kosovo's secession, Konuzin said that Moscow on many occasions warned its partners that the case of Kosovo was setting a precedent.

"They would not believe us. They were convincing us it was 'a unique' case. However, the latest bloody events, unfortunately, only proved us right. It is not ruled out that the Kosovo precedent will echo in other regions of the world as well," the ambassador said.

He also confirmed that he spoke to President Boris Tadić and PM Mirko Cvetković about the strategic energy agreement signed in Moscow in January, still awaiting ratification, but would not reveal many details from this conversation.

"I am very pleased that we have a close approach on how to solve this problem," Konuzin said.