Putin calls for patience over Kosovo

Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday called on the West to show restraint over the future status of Kosovo.

Izvor: AFP

Friday, 26.10.2007.

13:35

Default images

Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday called on the West to show restraint over the future status of Kosovo. Putin, in Lisbon for Friday's EU-Russia summit, also warned that the threat of fresh sanctions or even military action against Iran over its nuclear program would only make the situation worse. Putin calls for patience over Kosovo On the issue of Kosovo, Putin said that Russia was respecting international law by opposing UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari's recommendation to give internationally supervised independence to the Serbian province. "Why upset the principles of international law by encouraging separatism in Europe," he asked. "Don't you have enough problems in Spain, in Belgium?" Spain is facing renewed violence from regional Basque separatist group ETA, while there have been calls in the mainly Flemish speaking north of Belgium for greater autonomy from the mainly Francophone south. "When we're talking to our colleagues from the European Commission I sometimes get the impression that we are defending Europe's interests more than our counterparts," Putin said. The Kremlin chief's comments came ahead of Friday's talks with EU leaders in Mafra, 40 kilometers from the capital Portuguese Lisbon, hosted by Prime Minister Jose Socrates whose country currently holds the EU presidency. No major announcements are planned for the summit, although both EU and Russian officials have emphasized that business ties between Moscow and Brussels are booming. Russia has complained, however, about what it calls discrimination against Russian energy companies in the European Union and EU-Russia talks on forming a new partnership are stalled. Russia has also been angered by US plans to deploy interceptor missiles and a radar in EU member states Poland and the Czech Republic, saying the missile shield is aimed against Russia. Washington says the shield is to fend off possible missile strikes by Iran.

Putin calls for patience over Kosovo

On the issue of Kosovo, Putin said that Russia was respecting international law by opposing UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari's recommendation to give internationally supervised independence to the Serbian province.

"Why upset the principles of international law by encouraging separatism in Europe," he asked.

"Don't you have enough problems in Spain, in Belgium?"

Spain is facing renewed violence from regional Basque separatist group ETA, while there have been calls in the mainly Flemish speaking north of Belgium for greater autonomy from the mainly Francophone south.

"When we're talking to our colleagues from the European Commission I sometimes get the impression that we are defending Europe's interests more than our counterparts," Putin said.

The Kremlin chief's comments came ahead of Friday's talks with EU leaders in Mafra, 40 kilometers from the capital Portuguese Lisbon, hosted by Prime Minister Jose Socrates whose country currently holds the EU presidency.

No major announcements are planned for the summit, although both EU and Russian officials have emphasized that business ties between Moscow and Brussels are booming.

Russia has complained, however, about what it calls discrimination against Russian energy companies in the European Union and EU-Russia talks on forming a new partnership are stalled.

Russia has also been angered by US plans to deploy interceptor missiles and a radar in EU member states Poland and the Czech Republic, saying the missile shield is aimed against Russia.

Washington says the shield is to fend off possible missile strikes by Iran.

Komentari 20

Pogledaj komentare

20 Komentari

Možda vas zanima

Podeli: