Russia demands emergency UN meeting over Kosovo
Russia denounced Kosovo’s independence declaration today and called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Russia supports Serbia’s “just demands to restore the country’s territorial integrity” and wants the Security Council to renew efforts to reach a settlement on the issue of Kosovo’s status.
Kosovo’s independence declaration violates Serbia’s sovereignty and the UN Charter and threatens “the escalation of tension and ethnic violence in the region, a new conflict in the Balkans,” the ministry said.
It warned other nations against “supporting separatism” by recognising Kosovo.
Russia has stressed its opposition to any decision on Kosovo’s status that is not accepted by Serbia. It has warned that recognition of Kosovo by the US and other nations would encourage separatists in the former Soviet Union, across Europe and around the world.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed the ministry statement in comments on state-run Vesti-24 television. He called Kosovo’s declaration an “illegitimate act” and said that Russia supports what he called Serbia’s pledges to struggle in a constructive way to keep its borders intact.
Mr Peskov said that “all possible international mechanisms, first of all the United Nations and its Security Council” would be called upon to address the issue, and that Russia would closely monitor the response of other countries to the declaration.
