Russia wants EULEX as “part of UNMIK”

Russia would cooperate with EULEX in Kosovo only provided it is a part of the United Nations (UN) mission UNMIK. At the same time, Moscow will require the approval official Belgrade and of the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the deployment of the EU mission in the province, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov said on Monday. Russia wants EULEX as “part of UNMIK” Reiterating Russia's “serious concern over the decision of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the beginning of UNMIK's reconfiguration”, Titov said in an interview for the Diplomatic Courier Sunday supplement of the daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Russia is “in principle not opposed to the strengthening of the EU role in Kosovo, having in mind the aspirations of Balkan states, including Serbia, to join the EU”. “However, that role should be realized within international law, and the corresponding EU structures should be incorporated into the UN Mission with the approval of Belgrade, and, in keeping with that, with the approval of the UN Security Council.” “Under such circumstances, we could cooperate productively with the EU mission as a part of UNMIK," Titov said, underscoring that it is not clear why Russia's partners "persistently do not want to abide by the rules". The European structures - EULEX, EU Special Representative Pieter Feith, and the International Steering Group for Kosovo are not legal, Titov said, pointing out that "in taking a one-sided approach, they are not working for stability in the region but for the reinforcement of the conflict potential".

Russia wants EULEX as “part of UNMIK”

Reiterating Russia's “serious concern over the decision of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the beginning of UNMIK's reconfiguration”, Titov said in an interview for the Diplomatic Courier Sunday supplement of the daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Russia is “in principle not opposed to the strengthening of the EU role in Kosovo, having in mind the aspirations of Balkan states, including Serbia, to join the EU”.

“However, that role should be realized within international law, and the corresponding EU structures should be incorporated into the UN Mission with the approval of Belgrade, and, in keeping with that, with the approval of the UN Security Council.”

“Under such circumstances, we could cooperate productively with the EU mission as a part of UNMIK," Titov said, underscoring that it is not clear why Russia's partners "persistently do not want to abide by the rules".

The European structures - EULEX, EU Special Representative Pieter Feith, and the International Steering Group for Kosovo are not legal, Titov said, pointing out that "in taking a one-sided approach, they are not working for stability in the region but for the reinforcement of the conflict potential".