PUTIN SAYS THE WEST BEHAVING LIKE USSR OVER KOSOVO
BBC Monitoring International Reports - March 8, 2008 Saturday

The unilateral declaration of the independence of Kosovo will certainly lead to the rise of separatism in Europe, Interfax news agency reported Russian President Vladimir Putin as saying on 8 March. He was speaking after meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at his Novo-Ogarevo residence near Moscow on the same day.

"This is one of our arguments. We consider that separatism in Europe has received an additional impetus. Whoever tries to avoid this momentum, it will happen nevertheless," Putin was reported as saying.

"Our partners in this issue have certainly taken the place of the Soviet Union, which, while being a member of the international community, stood up for the right of nations to self-determination. They've got what they've bargained for," he was quoted as saying.

Russia could agree to the independence of Kosovo only if this is done within the framework of international law, ITAR-TASS news agency reported Putin as saying in an earlier report.

"If such a compromise is found, we will agree," Putin was quoted as saying.

Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1310 gmt 8 Mar 08; ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1250gmt 8 Mar 08

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