Humanitarian aid still at administrative crossing

A Russian convoy of 24 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Serbs in Kosovo still has not crossed the Jarinje administrative checkpoint. EULEX wants the Russian convoy to go to the Pristina-controlled Merdare checkpoint. Humanitarian aid still at administrative crossing Russia’s Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Konuzin said that it was “EULEX’s blackmail he cannot accept”. Two trucks crossed the administrative line on Tuesday but the other trucks were not allowed to go through and the reason why the convoy has not been allowed to cross is still unknown. The Russian ambassador was told by EULEX that the trucks could not proceed without EULEX’s escort and that they could cross at the Merdare crossing. Konuzin refused to accept both conditions. Ambassador Konzin today conferred via video link with Russian Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu, who said the humanitarian convoy was blocked without any official explanation. "The problem of the passage of the Russian humanitarian aid convoy for Serbs in Kosovo has not been solved. We do not know when it will be solved, because we have not received any official response. We are acting strictly in line with UN resolution (1244) and are sending only humanitarian cargo, which can be checked," Shoigu told Russia 24 TV outlet. At the same time, Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin reacted to describe the case as "humanitarian crime", and add that Moscow cannot negotiate about it with the unrecognized state in Kosovo. "We do not recognize those authorities as authorities of an independent state. We will continue negotiations exclusively with international representatives of NATO and the EU. The recognition of Kosovo is a matter for their conscience, as well as the recognition of gangsters of the former Kosovo army (KLA), who have now formed their own police units," said the ambassador. The blocking of the convoy of Russian trucks at the administrative line checkpoint of Jarinje will be one of the topics discussed at the EU-Russia summit, Rogozin announced. A spokesperson for the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, said in Pristina that the convoy "had two choices to enter Kosovo", and listed them as either accepting EULEX police escort, "because that is usual practice", or going to the Merdare checkpoint. Irina Gudeljevic also noted that if the convoy accepted EULEX police escort, "that means that EULEX vehicles must be let trough the barricades". The citizens in the north of the province, however, are not allowing EULEX through their barricades, because the EU mission has been transporting Kosovo Albanian institutions' customs and police workers to the checkpoints in the north. Serbs are a majority population north of the Ibar River and they reject the authority of the government in Pristina, and the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made in early 2008. (Tanjug)

Humanitarian aid still at administrative crossing

Russia’s Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Konuzin said that it was “EULEX’s blackmail he cannot accept”.

Two trucks crossed the administrative line on Tuesday but the other trucks were not allowed to go through and the reason why the convoy has not been allowed to cross is still unknown.

The Russian ambassador was told by EULEX that the trucks could not proceed without EULEX’s escort and that they could cross at the Merdare crossing. Konuzin refused to accept both conditions.

Ambassador Konzin today conferred via video link with Russian Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu, who said the humanitarian convoy was blocked without any official explanation.

"The problem of the passage of the Russian humanitarian aid convoy for Serbs in Kosovo has not been solved. We do not know when it will be solved, because we have not received any official response. We are acting strictly in line with UN resolution (1244) and are sending only humanitarian cargo, which can be checked," Shoigu told Russia 24 TV outlet.

At the same time, Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin reacted to describe the case as "humanitarian crime", and add that Moscow cannot negotiate about it with the unrecognized state in Kosovo.

"We do not recognize those authorities as authorities of an independent state. We will continue negotiations exclusively with international representatives of NATO and the EU. The recognition of Kosovo is a matter for their conscience, as well as the recognition of gangsters of the former Kosovo army (KLA), who have now formed their own police units," said the ambassador.

The blocking of the convoy of Russian trucks at the administrative line checkpoint of Jarinje will be one of the topics discussed at the EU-Russia summit, Rogozin announced.

A spokesperson for the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, said in Priština that the convoy "had two choices to enter Kosovo", and listed them as either accepting EULEX police escort, "because that is usual practice", or going to the Merdare checkpoint.

Irina Gudeljevic also noted that if the convoy accepted EULEX police escort, "that means that EULEX vehicles must be let trough the barricades".

The citizens in the north of the province, however, are not allowing EULEX through their barricades, because the EU mission has been transporting Kosovo Albanian institutions' customs and police workers to the checkpoints in the north.

Serbs are a majority population north of the Ibar River and they reject the authority of the government in Priština, and the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence made in early 2008.