"If KLA court is abolished, US won't block Russian move"

"If KLA court is abolished, US won't block Russian move"

Two years ago, when the authorities in Pristina were hesitant to adopt the law to set up the Specialist Chambers - known also as the special court for KLA crimes - the US was also warning about the possibility of activation of a Plan B to form a new, similar court.

Tanjug is reporting this on Friday, citing a report published by the Pristina-based Albanian language newspaper Koha Ditore.

According to this, the message was this time conveyed by acting US Ambassador in Pristina Stephen Banks.

The daily's sources said that Banks had several meetings this week with the heads of Kosovo institutions, to whom he "made clear the consequences of the possible repeal of the law."

Banks met with Kosovo PM Ramush Haradinaj on Thursday and openly told him that, in that case, the United States would not block the initiative of Russia in the creation of a similar court in the UN Security Council, the Koha source said.

“He reminded Haradinaj that the Russian initiative will of course be based on Resolution 1244 and will refer to UNMIK as the supreme ruling authority in Kosovo,” the daily reported, citing the source.

The report came as five western countries gathered in the so-called Quint published a joint statement, expressing their "deep concern" over Pristina's ongoing efforts, and urging against the abolishing of the special court.