Russian envoy: Ethnic strife persists in Kosovo

Russian envoy: Ethnic strife persists in Kosovo

"Russia is indignant at the wave of anti-Serb actions in Kosovo after a disrupted football match between Serbia and Albania," he said.

“The wave of anti-Serb actions that swept Kosovo after the Serbia-Albania football match on October 14 causes indignation. Pristina has traditionally limited itself to formal condemnation of the ant-Serb rioting. Meanwhile, Serb houses in the region continue to burn, and those responsible have not been brought to justice,” Churkin said.

Russia believes that interests of Serbian and other non-Albanian communities in the unrecognized republic of Kosovo should be taken into account when forming new local authorities, he added.

“A protracted political crisis is obvious, as it was provoked by the incapability of local elite created by the notorious Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) to come to agreement without foreign recommendations. We believe that views and approaches of Serb and other non-Albanian communities in the unrecognized republic should be fully taken into account when shaping new authorities,” the diplomat said and called for the community of Serb municipalities to be formed as soon as possible in line with the Brussels agreement.

For many years of efforts taken for Kosovo settlement the self-proclaimed republic “did not show any progress in its judicial system, counteraction to corruption, organized crime, including drug and human trafficking, restrictions on the freedom of speech and political impact on the court system," Churkin said.

Russia is also concerned about the corruption affair shaking the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, and wants special attention to be given to the setting up of a court that would try cases of war crimes committed by the KLA.

These crimes, the diplomat noted, include ethnic cleansing of Serbs and illegal trade in human organs.

"The perpetrators must be found. We call on the UN to actively monitor the creation of this court," Churkin said.

In his address to the council, he also supported the statements made earlier by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.

Churkin said that his country's position not to recognize Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence remained unchanged.