World - Top minister signals that Moscow may veto UN plan for Kosovo
Morning Star - March 22, 2007 Thursday

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned on Wednesday that Moscow would oppose a United Nations plan for Kosovo if the document ignores Serbia's interests.

Mr Lavrov appeared to signal that Russia would use its veto power on the UN security council if the measure comes to a vote in its present shape.

"We aren't going to stay away from it. That's a matter of principle," he told the lower house of the Russian parliament, suggesting that Russia would not abstain if an unsatisfactory proposal was put to a council vote. "It strikes too many chords - political, historic and spiritual."

The plan, which was drawn up by UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, would grant Kosovo internationally supervised statehood and elements of independence, including its own army, flag, anthem and constitution.

It needs security council approval to take effect.

Mr Ahtisaari said this month that he would deliver the document to the security council by the end of March, despite bitter disagreement between Serbia and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership over the proposal.

Russia opposes Kosovo being split from Serbia and wants more work to take Belgrade's interests into account.

Kosovo has been under UN and NATO administration since a 78-day NATO-led air war in support of ethnic Albanian separatists in 1999.

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