Russia will support Serbia's UNGA draft

Russia will back the draft resolution Serbia has submitted to the UN General Assembly, it was announced in New York on Tuesday. The draft was sent following the opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and will be discussed at the Assembly session scheduled for September. Russia will support Serbia's UNGA draft Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said that the resolution will be discussed, "and if we speak about Russia's stand, we should say that we will back the resolution." The Russian ambassador said that he did not meet with the Kosovo Albanian government foreign minister, Skender Hyseni, who was attending the UN Security Council session dedicated to Kosovo as a private person, Russia's news agency RIA-Novosti reported. "No request for a meeting has arrived from Hyseni," said Churkin. He also noted that his country will not change its stand on non-recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and that Moscow urges for a strict observation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244. "Russia supports the United Nations Mission in Kosovo," said he, pointing out that the security situation in the provinces raises concern. Northern Kosovska Mitrovica is a true evidence of that concern, said the Russian representative, underscoring that the number of returnees from among the internally displaced persons is disappointingly low. Speaking about the ICJ's opinion, Russia's representative underscored that the court had focused only on the evaluation of the declaration itself and that it had distanced itself from the interpretation of whether Kosovo is a state and whether recognitions of its independence were proper. Britain's permanent representative said that "independence of Kosovo-Metohija is a process and that there is no possibility of renewing the talks on the status or borders". "London supports Kosovo's independence and the ICJ opinion is the end of the debate on Kosovo's status," said the British diplomat. The permanent representative of the United States of America said that the opinion of the ICJ is a "basis for the future relations of Serbia and Kosovo, and that Kosovo is an independent and multiethnic democracy, whose independence is irreversible," while Washington "expects the ICJ's opinion to encourage the countries that have yet to recognize Kosovo." Japan's permanent representative said that his country supports the idea of Belgrade and Pristina starting a constructive dialogue, condemning the latest violence in Kosovo. The ambassador of Brazil called on Belgrade and Pristina to overcome their differences and renew talks on outstanding issues as soon as possible. According to this diplomat, Resolution 1244 remains the framework that determines the conditions of negotiations aimed at reaching a legitimate solution. Austria's ambassador commended on the achievements of EULEX in cooperation with both sides and protection of human rights. Turkish representative welcomed the report by UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier, which shows that the situation in Kosovo is relatively peaceful, and called on the UN Mission to take all necessary steps towards establishing reconciliation and full stability in Kosovo. "The ICJ's opinion will open a new phase in the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina," said Ankara's permanent representative. Bosnia-Herzegovina's ambassador said that his country supports the activities of UNMIK and EULEX in Kosovo in keeping with UN SC Resolution1244. "Bosnia-Herzegovina strongly condemns the latest outbreak of violence in Kosovo and urges for an investigation and bringing the perpetrators to justice," underscored the Bosnian representative. The ambassadors of Uganda and Nigeria pointed out the necessity of the participation of both sides in a dialogue, aimed at finding a solution that is acceptable to both sides, and with the participation of all communities living in Kosovo. Vitaly Churkin (FoNet, file) Russia criticizes British remarks Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin criticized his British counterpart's inappropriate remarks regarding Serbia's stand on Kosovo issue, said reports. Churkin was quoted as saying that the British envoy's words "could almost be seen as a threat", Radio Voice of Russia reported. At the UN Security Council's (UNSC) session on Kosovo, held late on Tuesday, Churkin reiterated Moscow's irreversible stand that it will not recognize Kosovo and expressed concern about what the British Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Philip Parham said at the session, the Russian radio said. Serbia's call for a dialogue was met by what could be qualified as threat of confrontation with all countries that have recognized Kosovo. We do not know whether one delegation was authorized to speak on behalf of all other countries, Churkin said. "We hope that most of the countries will have a moderate and balanced approach to the matter, and that they will not prevent Pristina from making the only just decision to start a dialogue with Belgrade. There is no other way people in Kosovo can disentangle the knot of the existing problems," the Russian ambassador to the UN added. Voice of Russia reports that Parham "inappropriately reacted to the speech of Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, who had merely urged for diplomatic means to be used in solving the Kosovo issue and stressed that Serbia will never recognize the province's independence". "We will continue to use all diplomatic resources at the disposal of a sovereign state to oppose this attempt to forcibly change our borders in peacetime. No peaceful and proud nation facing such a threat - be it African, European, Asian or American; be it small or large, rich or poor - would act differently," the Russian radio quoted Jeremic. As a response to what the Serbian foreign Minister said, the British diplomat stressed that "there can be no return to negotiations on either Kosovo's status or its existing borders". "Any attempt to go down this path would lock Serbia into confrontation with those that have recognized Kosovo. Any attempt to encourage the partition of Kosovo, or status talks, would be against the long-term interests of the citizens of both Kosovo and Serbia. This could cause greater instability in the region. The United Kingdom will strongly resist any such attempts," Parham said.

Russia will support Serbia's UNGA draft

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said that the resolution will be discussed, "and if we speak about Russia's stand, we should say that we will back the resolution."

The Russian ambassador said that he did not meet with the Kosovo Albanian government foreign minister, Skender Hyseni, who was attending the UN Security Council session dedicated to Kosovo as a private person, Russia's news agency RIA-Novosti reported.

"No request for a meeting has arrived from Hyseni," said Churkin.

He also noted that his country will not change its stand on non-recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and that Moscow urges for a strict observation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

"Russia supports the United Nations Mission in Kosovo," said he, pointing out that the security situation in the provinces raises concern.

Northern Kosovska Mitrovica is a true evidence of that concern, said the Russian representative, underscoring that the number of returnees from among the internally displaced persons is disappointingly low.

Speaking about the ICJ's opinion, Russia's representative underscored that the court had focused only on the evaluation of the declaration itself and that it had distanced itself from the interpretation of whether Kosovo is a state and whether recognitions of its independence were proper.

Britain's permanent representative said that "independence of Kosovo-Metohija is a process and that there is no possibility of renewing the talks on the status or borders".

"London supports Kosovo's independence and the ICJ opinion is the end of the debate on Kosovo's status," said the British diplomat.

The permanent representative of the United States of America said that the opinion of the ICJ is a "basis for the future relations of Serbia and Kosovo, and that Kosovo is an independent and multiethnic democracy, whose independence is irreversible," while Washington "expects the ICJ's opinion to encourage the countries that have yet to recognize Kosovo."

Japan's permanent representative said that his country supports the idea of Belgrade and Pristina starting a constructive dialogue, condemning the latest violence in Kosovo.

The ambassador of Brazil called on Belgrade and Priština to overcome their differences and renew talks on outstanding issues as soon as possible.

According to this diplomat, Resolution 1244 remains the framework that determines the conditions of negotiations aimed at reaching a legitimate solution.

Austria's ambassador commended on the achievements of EULEX in cooperation with both sides and protection of human rights.

Turkish representative welcomed the report by UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier, which shows that the situation in Kosovo is relatively peaceful, and called on the UN Mission to take all necessary steps towards establishing reconciliation and full stability in Kosovo.

"The ICJ's opinion will open a new phase in the negotiations between Belgrade and Priština," said Ankara's permanent representative.

Bosnia-Herzegovina's ambassador said that his country supports the activities of UNMIK and EULEX in Kosovo in keeping with UN SC Resolution1244.

"Bosnia-Herzegovina strongly condemns the latest outbreak of violence in Kosovo and urges for an investigation and bringing the perpetrators to justice," underscored the Bosnian representative.

The ambassadors of Uganda and Nigeria pointed out the necessity of the participation of both sides in a dialogue, aimed at finding a solution that is acceptable to both sides, and with the participation of all communities living in Kosovo.

Russia criticizes British remarks

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin criticized his British counterpart's inappropriate remarks regarding Serbia's stand on Kosovo issue, said reports.

Churkin was quoted as saying that the British envoy's words "could almost be seen as a threat", Radio Voice of Russia reported.

At the UN Security Council's (UNSC) session on Kosovo, held late on Tuesday, Churkin reiterated Moscow's irreversible stand that it will not recognize Kosovo and expressed concern about what the British Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Philip Parham said at the session, the Russian radio said.

Serbia's call for a dialogue was met by what could be qualified as threat of confrontation with all countries that have recognized Kosovo. We do not know whether one delegation was authorized to speak on behalf of all other countries, Churkin said.

"We hope that most of the countries will have a moderate and balanced approach to the matter, and that they will not prevent Priština from making the only just decision to start a dialogue with Belgrade. There is no other way people in Kosovo can disentangle the knot of the existing problems," the Russian ambassador to the UN added.

Voice of Russia reports that Parham "inappropriately reacted to the speech of Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić, who had merely urged for diplomatic means to be used in solving the Kosovo issue and stressed that Serbia will never recognize the province's independence".

"We will continue to use all diplomatic resources at the disposal of a sovereign state to oppose this attempt to forcibly change our borders in peacetime. No peaceful and proud nation facing such a threat - be it African, European, Asian or American; be it small or large, rich or poor - would act differently," the Russian radio quoted Jeremić.

As a response to what the Serbian foreign Minister said, the British diplomat stressed that "there can be no return to negotiations on either Kosovo's status or its existing borders".

"Any attempt to go down this path would lock Serbia into confrontation with those that have recognized Kosovo. Any attempt to encourage the partition of Kosovo, or status talks, would be against the long-term interests of the citizens of both Kosovo and Serbia. This could cause greater instability in the region. The United Kingdom will strongly resist any such attempts," Parham said.