http://www.interfax.com/3/137040/news.aspx
Interfax
March 9, 2006
Russian lawmaker says issue of independence for Kosovo
premature
MOSCOW - Russian lawmakers think it would be
premature to refer the issue of Kosovo's independence
to the international community, head of the Russian
State Duma international relations committee
Konstantin Kosachyov announced Thursday.
"Last May, a delegation from our committee visited the
Balkans and concluded that problem of standards was
completely unsolved, that's why it would be premature
to proceed to Kosovo's status. Attempts by the
international community to speed up this question
appear to be politicized and can only make things
worse," Kosachyov said during a meeting in Moscow
with head of Coordinating Center for Kosovo, Serbia
and Montenegro Sanda Raskovic-Ivic.
"We are convinced that no decisions on Kosovo could be
adopted by-passing Serbia and Montenegro," Kosachyov
said, adding that Russia had always played an active
role in the Balkan settlement.
The Russian and Serbian positions on the issue
coincide, he said.
Raskovic-Ivic, for her part, said that Serbia was
ready to grant Kosovo broad autonomy, but nothing
beyond that.
The Serbian government and people want Kosovo to
remain part of Serbia, she said.
"We are ready to grant Kosovo more than autonomy, but
less than independence. We will not agree to allow
Kosovo become a subject of international law," she
said.
Despite aggressive sorties on the part of ethnic
Albanian extremists, the Serbian authorities are ready
to continue talks with the Albanian side,
Raskovic-Ivic said.
