UN condemns violence, DSS defiant

Branislav Ristivojevic says that “the United States of America, not Serbia, are brutally violating international law.” Commenting the announcement of the U.S. ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad that he will be asking the UN Security Council to condemn the attacks on the American embassy in Belgrade last night, the Democratic Party of Serbia, DSS, spokesman said that the U.S. has violated the UN charter and Resolution 1244 by recognizing the unilateral independence declaration of Kosovo. UN condemns violence, DSS defiant He said that “this is the real question that the United Nations Security Council should be dealing with.” “The request of the American ambassador to the UN Security Council to look into violations of international law because of the incidents in the American embassy in Belgrade, must be met with the question of the deepest violation of international law by the U.S. itself,” Ristivojevic said. After the “Kosovo is Serbia” protest, a group of hooligans attacked and torched the U.S. embassy in Belgrade. Khalilzad said that he is shocked by the attack on the American embassy in Belgrade, which is his country's "sovereign territory". Khalilzad called "for a unanimously adopted statement, which will demonstrate the shock and condemnation and remind the Serbian government about its responsibility to protect diplomatic missions.” The UN Security COuncil responded, condemning the attacks. "The members of the UN Security Council strongly condemn the mob attacks on the embassies in Belgrade, in which embassies were damaged and its personnel was endangered," said presiding Panama's UN ambassador Ricardo Alberto Arias. Meantime, the EU reacted to yesterday's events in Belgrade "The embassies have to be protected, and that is the obligation of the country," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said, according to the BBC. "Things will have to calm down before we can recuperate the climate that would allow for any contact to move on the Stabilization and Association Agreement." European Union spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said the violence in the Serbian capital - which followed a rally against Kosovo's unilateral secession - was "totally unacceptable". European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has also condemned the attacks on foreign embassies and companies in Belgrade, and called on the Serbian politicians to refrain from any statements that might further aggravate the situation. "I strongly condemn yesterday's attacks on foreign embassies and buildings in Belgrade that have caused significant material damage and endangered human lives," Rehn said. "We respect the democratic right of the Serbian people to express their opinion on the development of the situation in Kosovo, but any use of violence to express that opinion is unacceptable," the European commissioner added. He called on the Serbian authorities to provide protection for diplomatic missions. The U.S. embassy in Belgrade last night (Beta) "Rally demonstrates Serb unity on Kosovo" Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Alekseyev said Friday that the protest rally held Thursday in Belgrade against the unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence "demonstrated the unity of the Serb people on Kosovo". "The great and peaceful rally attended by people from all walks of life and from all over Serbia was a very important event which demonstrated the unity of the Serb people on Kosovo," he told the press at the Russian embassy. Alekseyev condemned the incidents of violence on the margins of the rally as unjustified and unjustifiable. Expressing his solidarity with officials of foreign missions in Belgrade which were attacked Thursday evening, he noted that the UN Security Council condemned those acts with Russia's full support. "These incidents, unfortunately, demonstrate that Russia was and is right in calling for the greatest possible caution in resolving the Kosovo issue," he said, noting that the unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence "does not solve the problem but rather creates many more problems". After the latest developments, Moscow believes that the process of resolving the Kosovo issue must immediately be returned to the international legal order and that serious negotiations must start, he said. Alekseyev and Military Envoy Victor Avdeyev gave a reception at the embassy on the Day Of Remembrance Of Defenders Of The Homeland.

UN condemns violence, DSS defiant

He said that “this is the real question that the United Nations Security Council should be dealing with.”

“The request of the American ambassador to the UN Security Council to look into violations of international law because of the incidents in the American embassy in Belgrade, must be met with the question of the deepest violation of international law by the U.S. itself,” Ristivojević said.

After the “Kosovo is Serbia” protest, a group of hooligans attacked and torched the U.S. embassy in Belgrade.

Khalilzad said that he is shocked by the attack on the American embassy in Belgrade, which is his country's "sovereign territory".

Khalilzad called "for a unanimously adopted statement, which will demonstrate the shock and condemnation and remind the Serbian government about its responsibility to protect diplomatic missions.”

The UN Security COuncil responded, condemning the attacks.

"The members of the UN Security Council strongly condemn the mob attacks on the embassies in Belgrade, in which embassies were damaged and its personnel was endangered," said presiding Panama's UN ambassador Ricardo Alberto Arias.

Meantime, the EU reacted to yesterday's events in Belgrade

"The embassies have to be protected, and that is the obligation of the country," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said, according to the BBC.

"Things will have to calm down before we can recuperate the climate that would allow for any contact to move on the Stabilization and Association Agreement."

European Union spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said the violence in the Serbian capital - which followed a rally against Kosovo's unilateral secession - was "totally unacceptable".

European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has also condemned the attacks on foreign embassies and companies in Belgrade, and called on the Serbian politicians to refrain from any statements that might further aggravate the situation.

"I strongly condemn yesterday's attacks on foreign embassies and buildings in Belgrade that have caused significant material damage and endangered human lives," Rehn said.

"We respect the democratic right of the Serbian people to express their opinion on the development of the situation in Kosovo, but any use of violence to express that opinion is unacceptable," the European commissioner added.

He called on the Serbian authorities to provide protection for diplomatic missions.

"Rally demonstrates Serb unity on Kosovo"

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Alekseyev said Friday that the protest rally held Thursday in Belgrade against the unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence "demonstrated the unity of the Serb people on Kosovo".

"The great and peaceful rally attended by people from all walks of life and from all over Serbia was a very important event which demonstrated the unity of the Serb people on Kosovo," he told the press at the Russian embassy.

Alekseyev condemned the incidents of violence on the margins of the rally as unjustified and unjustifiable.

Expressing his solidarity with officials of foreign missions in Belgrade which were attacked Thursday evening, he noted that the UN Security Council condemned those acts with Russia's full support.

"These incidents, unfortunately, demonstrate that Russia was and is right in calling for the greatest possible caution in resolving the Kosovo issue," he said, noting that the unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence "does not solve the problem but rather creates many more problems".

After the latest developments, Moscow believes that the process of resolving the Kosovo issue must immediately be returned to the international legal order and that serious negotiations must start, he said.

Alekseyev and Military Envoy Victor Avdeyev gave a reception at the embassy on the Day Of Remembrance Of Defenders Of The Homeland.