Russia's Putin says self-rule drives are bad for Europe
Agence France Presse (English) - June 2, 2006 Friday 5:44 PM GMT
 
NOVO OGAREVO, Russia, June 2 2006 - Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday said that granting independence to separatist territories in Europe such as the Albanian-majority Serbian province of Kosovo would set "negative precedents" for the former Soviet Union and other European countries.

"If such precedents occur, it will be difficult to explain (to separatists) why the Albanians of Kosovo can separate (from Serbia) while they cannot do so," he told senior journalists at his residence in Novo Ogarevo, near Moscow.

"What is the difference?" he added.

Putin was responding to a question about the possible impact of the recent vote for independence from Serbia by Montenegro on breakaway former Soviet territories such as Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transdniestr.

"Such precedents would have a negative impact on the solid countries of Europe," he said, citing the examples of separatist movements in Spain, France, and Italy.

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