Titov: No UN resolution without agreement

Titov: No UN resolution without agreement

Titov also said the Kosovo status solution must be sought within the framework of the existing UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

He added that more attention should be paid to status-neutral issues which were acceptable to both sides, and which should serve as a basis for further talks.

The Russian diplomat noted the time was “not right” for Ahtisaari’s proposal to be brought before the UN Security Council, and added that Russia as a Security Council member would not support Ahtisaari’s proposal unless the two sides agreed on it.

Koštunica once again warned that UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari had exceeded his mandate, “which was to enable and direct the negotiations between the two sides on reaching an agreement that would be in line with the principles of international law.”

“Instead of resolving the issue of the future status of Serbia's southern province, Ahtisaari overstepped his mandate by opening the issue of Serbia's state status without any authorization and proposed redrawing its internationally recognized borders. Therefore, Ahtisaari's proposal is illegitimate and illegal”, Koštunica said.

He told Titov that the Belgrade team in the ongoing Vienna talks was “very active and constructive and that it has presented many proposals for establishing an essential autonomy for the province within Serbia.”

Earlier, Dušan Lazić of the European Movement in Serbia told B92 that Titov’s visit came as part of Russia’s efforts to harmonize its position on Kosovo both with Serbia and the international community.

“All this points to the conclusion that Russia is looking to do everything to avoid a situation where no deal could be made in the UN, in other words, Russia is doing all it can not to be forced to use its veto powers at the UN Security Council”, Lazić, a Russian diplomacy expert and former ambassador to Moscow, said.

Serb List for Kosovo leader Oliver Ivanović also reacted to Titov's visit by saying he was in Belgrade in order to be informed on the situation in Serbia, rather than to inform Serbia on Russia’s position regarding Kosovo, or to persuade Serbia to accept UN Kosovo envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s status proposal.