U.S.-EU resolution on Kosovo ready

U.S.-EU resolution on Kosovo ready

Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Wednesday in Vienna he was against any imposed solution for Kosovo, stressing that the fundamental principles of the international law, first of all on the territorial integrity principle, had to be respected

“The principles of international law can be changed, if someone wishes so, but still they must meet the interests of both sides in the Serbian province of Kosovo,” Putin said at a joint press conference with Austrian President Heinz Fischer.

Putin also said that the future status of Kosovo had to be settled by means of a direct agreement between Belgrade and Priština in line with the UN resolution 1244 which said that that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia.

U.S. President George Bush and NAO secretary-general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer voiced support for a UN resolution based on UN Special Kosovo Envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s plan.

However, if that resolution was not adopted, KFOR troops would remain in Kosovo on the basis of UN resolution 1244, NATO spokesperson James Appathurai said in Brussels.

He added that NATO nevertheless expected to see the adoption of the resolution in the UN Security Council, but was prepared for all options.

Russian diplomat: Differences remain

“UN Security Council member states still show no signs of finding common ground over Kosovo,” a Russian UN delegation member told ITAR-Tass Wednesday.

He recalled that members of a Kosovo contact group, including Russia, Britain, Germany, Italy, the U.S., and France, had met in New York Tuesday.

“We had another round of discussions on a draft resolution the U.S. and European Union delegations circulated earlier this month,” the diplomat said.

“The rift is not getting any smaller, since all the provisions the Russian delegation deems problematic are still in the document,” he said.

“Russia continues believing that the U.S.-sponsored draft doesn’t represent an acceptable basis for UN Security Council’s decisions on Kosovo,” the Russian diplomat said.

He did not rule out that the Security Council may discuss Kosovo some time next week.

U.S.: Too early to discuss unilateral moves

U.S. State Department spokesperson Tom Kasey said it was too early to discuss the possibility of unilateral recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

“Our position remains unchanged. We support UN special Kosovo envoy Ahtisaari’s plan as we are using it as a basis for the settlement process to move forward and finally end after a certain period of time,” Casey said at a regular press briefing in the U.S. Department of State.

He added that the UN Security Council was at the moment discussing the issue of Kosovo, as Washington believed it was possible to reach a solution within that body.

“Therefore I think it is too early to talk about taking any unilateral steps,” he concluded his statement regarding Kosovo.