RUSSIAN UN AMBASSADOR CRITICIZES KOSOVO PLAN
BBC Monitoring International Reports - May 10, 2007 Thursday
Text of report in English by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS
United Nations, 10 May: Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaliy Churkin said on Thursday
that UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari's plan could not serve as a platform for a final
decision of the UN Security Council on Kosovo.
At a Council session, the ambassador said the approval of that scheme was not
only establishing a clearly negative precedent for the world practice, but was
fraught with predictable alarming consequences for regional and international
stability.
According to the Russian side, once rewarded separatism will get a powerful
impetus in other parts of the globe. A chain reaction it will launch can sooner
or later affect any region in the world, Churkin said.
As a constructive alternative to Ahtisaari's recommendations for Kosovo, he
offered to continue implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1244 in
combination with talks of involved parties.
Some acceptable for both sides elements of the plan by the UN secretary
general's special envoy can be carried out on the basis of mutual accord while
the process of negotiations is still in progress.
A decision on the future status of the region must be approved on the basis of a
compromise between the sides, for which a patient and balanced continuation of
negotiations is needed, he said.
He stressed that the Serb side was ready to continue a dialogue with Pristina
and demonstrate flexibility in the process of future negotiations.
Churkin expressed hope that the Kosovo Albanian side would meet the Serb side
halfway.
Last month, Ahtisaari recommended that Kosovo be granted internationally
supervised independence. The step was welcomed by its Albanian minority but
rejected by the Serb minority.
Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in English
1842 gmt 10 May 07
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Copyright 2007 BBC Monitoring Service , Source: The Financial Times Limited
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