Moscow to back continued intl. presence

Russia is ready to support an extension of the international presence in Kosovo in the Security Council, says Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. In talks with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Lavrov added that Russia would support any solution that would have Belgrade and Pristina’s blessing, reiterating that Russia’s proposal to renew talks between the two sides over status still stood. Moscow to back continued intl. presence During their telephone conversation yesterday, the foreign minister called on Ban to firmly adhere to Security Council Resolution 1244 and to maintain contacts with all interested parties in searching for an acceptable way out of the situation, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced today. “Minister Lavrov confirmed Russia’s readiness to support a Security Council decision to extend the international presence’s activities in Kosovo that had the support of both Pristina and Belgrade.“ According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the UN secretary-general had “thoroughly set out his further plans for resolving the Kosovo question, at the same time taking into account Pristina’s unilateral independence declaration this February, and the EU’s decision to send its mission to Kosovo without Security Council approval.“ Lavrov had confirmed “Russia’s principled decision in favor of universal rigorous adherence to the fundamental norms of international law ,“ the statement concluded. Meanwhile, Russia's ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, has today asked for a special meeting of the NATO-Russia Council. He explained this request by saying Moscow fears that violence will be provoked in Kosovo in order to replace UN's mission with that of the EU, dubbed EULEX. "Russia fears violence will break out in the province, violence that would be provoked, and that would be used to explain why UN should transfer its mandate to the EU. This is totally unacceptable to us. We believe the UN should remain in Kosovo," Rogozin told Tanjug news agency in Brussels. Sergei Lavrov (FoNet, archive)

Moscow to back continued intl. presence

During their telephone conversation yesterday, the foreign minister called on Ban to firmly adhere to Security Council Resolution 1244 and to maintain contacts with all interested parties in searching for an acceptable way out of the situation, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced today.

“Minister Lavrov confirmed Russia’s readiness to support a Security Council decision to extend the international presence’s activities in Kosovo that had the support of both Priština and Belgrade.“

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the UN secretary-general had “thoroughly set out his further plans for resolving the Kosovo question, at the same time taking into account Priština’s unilateral independence declaration this February, and the EU’s decision to send its mission to Kosovo without Security Council approval.“

Lavrov had confirmed “Russia’s principled decision in favor of universal rigorous adherence to the fundamental norms of international law ,“ the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Russia's ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, has today asked for a special meeting of the NATO-Russia Council. He explained this request by saying Moscow fears that violence will be provoked in Kosovo in order to replace UN's mission with that of the EU, dubbed EULEX.

"Russia fears violence will break out in the province, violence that would be provoked, and that would be used to explain why UN should transfer its mandate to the EU. This is totally unacceptable to us. We believe the UN should remain in Kosovo," Rogozin told Tanjug news agency in Brussels.