"Russia doesn’t oppose independence"

Russia’s ambassador to Tirana says Moscow does not oppose Kosovo independence, but wants a new round of talks. Aleksandr Levovich Prishchepov told Albanian daily Koha Jone, as reported by the BBC, that Russia did not recognize Kosovo on February 17, because its independence “is not in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and the Helsinki Final Act.” "Russia doesn’t oppose independence" "In principle, we are not against Kosovo independence and we didn’t state that we were against it. However, for now we do not recognize Kosovo. We have suggested a new round of negotiations. We keep suggesting new ways to bring about a new UN Security Council resolution. We want the solution to the Kosovo problem to be satisfactory for both Serbia and Kosovo,” he said. Asked how further negotiations on independence could be successful, given that both sides had diametrically opposing positions, the Russian diplomat replied that “that’s exactly why negotiations are needed.” "Bear in mind that when the talks began, each side highlighted certain issues. The real negotiations start later. That’s what diplomacy’s all about. That’s what negotiations are for, and the way to reach a productive solution,” the ambassador explained. He stressed that Russia did not want a confrontation with the U.S., because “we know what it was like during the Cold War,” saying that there would be no winners in such a scenario. Assessing Russia’s relations with Albania, the Russian ambassador said that there were differences on the Kosovo issue, but that Moscow would “continue talks with Tirana, without the irritation or rhetoric that aren’t in either of our nations’ interests.”

"Russia doesn’t oppose independence"

"In principle, we are not against Kosovo independence and we didn’t state that we were against it. However, for now we do not recognize Kosovo. We have suggested a new round of negotiations. We keep suggesting new ways to bring about a new UN Security Council resolution. We want the solution to the Kosovo problem to be satisfactory for both Serbia and Kosovo,” he said.

Asked how further negotiations on independence could be successful, given that both sides had diametrically opposing positions, the Russian diplomat replied that “that’s exactly why negotiations are needed.”

"Bear in mind that when the talks began, each side highlighted certain issues. The real negotiations start later. That’s what diplomacy’s all about. That’s what negotiations are for, and the way to reach a productive solution,” the ambassador explained.

He stressed that Russia did not want a confrontation with the U.S., because “we know what it was like during the Cold War,” saying that there would be no winners in such a scenario.

Assessing Russia’s relations with Albania, the Russian ambassador said that there were differences on the Kosovo issue, but that Moscow would “continue talks with Tirana, without the irritation or rhetoric that aren’t in either of our nations’ interests.”