"Russia continues to stand with Serbia"

Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Aleksandr Konuzin this evening addressed Serbians in a message broadcast by the state television RTS. Russia will continue to stand with Serbia in her efforts to preserve Kosovo, Konuzin said. "Russia continues to stand with Serbia" "Citizens of Serbia, let the results of the political victory strengthen your faith in the just cause you are defending and encourage you to undertake new efforts. Much work lies ahead," the ambassador said in reference to yesterday's UN General Assembly vote that sent Belgrade's resolution on the legality of Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence to the International Court of Justice. "Those who favor the tearing up of Serbia will not sit idle," Konuzin said, and added that he believes the pressure on Belgrade will grow. "I wish to join the words of the great Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who said: 'Serbs, do not give your land away'. Rest assured that Russia will in the future as well stand with Serbia," he told RTS. In a statement for Reuters this evening Konuzin said that both Montenegro and Macedonia are finding themselves "under sever outside pressure whose goal is to force these two countries to recognize the so-called independence of Kosovo". "They are being blackmailed by some countries who are threatening to cause problems in their European integrations," the Russian ambassador told the news agency.

"Russia continues to stand with Serbia"

"Citizens of Serbia, let the results of the political victory strengthen your faith in the just cause you are defending and encourage you to undertake new efforts. Much work lies ahead," the ambassador said in reference to yesterday's UN General Assembly vote that sent Belgrade's resolution on the legality of Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence to the International Court of Justice.

"Those who favor the tearing up of Serbia will not sit idle," Konuzin said, and added that he believes the pressure on Belgrade will grow.

"I wish to join the words of the great Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who said: 'Serbs, do not give your land away'. Rest assured that Russia will in the future as well stand with Serbia," he told RTS.

In a statement for Reuters this evening Konuzin said that both Montenegro and Macedonia are finding themselves "under sever outside pressure whose goal is to force these two countries to recognize the so-called independence of Kosovo".

"They are being blackmailed by some countries who are threatening to cause problems in their European integrations," the Russian ambassador told the news agency.