Russian aid for Kosovo Serbs arrives

A plane carrying Russian humanitarian aid meant for the Serbs in Kosovo arrived this morning in Belgrade. Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic was present on behalf of the government to greet the first consignment. He said that the humanitarian aid that had arrived in Belgrade today meant help, both in material and moral terms, for the Kosovo Serbs. Russian aid for Kosovo Serbs arrives "Today is a big day for us, because major humanitarian assistance has arrived from the Russian state, which is welcome and very important for the existence and survival of the Kosovo Serbs," Samardzic said, and thanked the representatives of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, on whose orders the aid was sent. “The first consignment of 40 tons of food arrived today, and the next three deliveries will be on April 4, 8, and 10. They will comprise food, medicines, articles for hygiene, medical supplies, and equipment for hospitals and medical centers,” the minister explained. This whole process was carried out extremely efficiently, because only two weeks after the first initiative by Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Alekseyev, who ended his term of office in Belgrade in late March, the first batch of humanitarian aid for Serbia had reached its destination, he said. The aid would head for Kosovo as soon as customs procedure were taken care of, and would be distributed to Serb families in Kosovo in the next day or two, Samardzic assured. UNMIK is in charge of humanitarian aid in the province, he said, pointing out that he did not expect any problems during the distribution of aid, which should reach 8,300 families living in Serb enclaves in northern Kosovo. Charge d'Affaires at the Russian embassy in Belgrade Alexey Sokolov said he was confident that the 140 tons of humanitarian aid, worth a total of USD 1.7 million, would reach the Serb population in Kosovo on time. “This is just the first stage of assistance, and Russia will continue helping Serbia,” Sokolov promised. The first consignment of humanitarian arrives in Belgrade (FoNet) "KFOR, UNMIK fully authorized to assist in humanitarian ops." Commenting on statements from Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Thaci that distribution of humanitarian aid should be coordinated with the Pristina government, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov said that UNMIK and KFOR had full authority to assist in humanitarian operations. “The institutions in Pristina, which unilaterally declared independence and violated the agreed-upon principles for solving the Kosovo question, are not legitimate in our opinion,” the minister said. He added that the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, in cooperation with Belgrade, had prepared the first stage of the operation, and that four aircraft full of humanitarian aid would land in Serbia between now and April 10. Titov told the RIA Novosti agency that Russia would continue to work with its Serbian partners to organize the second stage of the humanitarian operation. The plan for delivering the aid to Belgrade has been confirmed, and the Serbian Red Cross will ship and distribute the aid through Kosovo, with the help of the international presence in the province.

Russian aid for Kosovo Serbs arrives

"Today is a big day for us, because major humanitarian assistance has arrived from the Russian state, which is welcome and very important for the existence and survival of the Kosovo Serbs," Samardžić said, and thanked the representatives of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, on whose orders the aid was sent.

“The first consignment of 40 tons of food arrived today, and the next three deliveries will be on April 4, 8, and 10. They will comprise food, medicines, articles for hygiene, medical supplies, and equipment for hospitals and medical centers,” the minister explained.

This whole process was carried out extremely efficiently, because only two weeks after the first initiative by Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Alekseyev, who ended his term of office in Belgrade in late March, the first batch of humanitarian aid for Serbia had reached its destination, he said.

The aid would head for Kosovo as soon as customs procedure were taken care of, and would be distributed to Serb families in Kosovo in the next day or two, Samardžić assured.

UNMIK is in charge of humanitarian aid in the province, he said, pointing out that he did not expect any problems during the distribution of aid, which should reach 8,300 families living in Serb enclaves in northern Kosovo.

Charge d'Affaires at the Russian embassy in Belgrade Alexey Sokolov said he was confident that the 140 tons of humanitarian aid, worth a total of USD 1.7 million, would reach the Serb population in Kosovo on time.

“This is just the first stage of assistance, and Russia will continue helping Serbia,” Sokolov promised.

"KFOR, UNMIK fully authorized to assist in humanitarian ops."

Commenting on statements from Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Thaci that distribution of humanitarian aid should be coordinated with the Priština government, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov said that UNMIK and KFOR had full authority to assist in humanitarian operations.

“The institutions in Priština, which unilaterally declared independence and violated the agreed-upon principles for solving the Kosovo question, are not legitimate in our opinion,” the minister said.

He added that the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, in cooperation with Belgrade, had prepared the first stage of the operation, and that four aircraft full of humanitarian aid would land in Serbia between now and April 10.

Titov told the RIA Novosti agency that Russia would continue to work with its Serbian partners to organize the second stage of the humanitarian operation.

The plan for delivering the aid to Belgrade has been confirmed, and the Serbian Red Cross will ship and distribute the aid through Kosovo, with the help of the international presence in the province.