Moscow issues warning over Kosovo By Stefan Wagstyl
Published: April 26 2007 19:32 | Last updated: April 26 2007 19:32 After weeks of shadow-boxing, Moscow could be preparing for a fight with Washington over the disputed Balkan territory of Kosovo. Vladimir Titov, a Russian deputy foreign minister, said this week that the plan prepared by Martti Ahtisaari, the United Nations envoy, for supervised independence for Kosovo would “not get through the UN Security Council”. It was the strongest signal yet that Russia might veto the proposals, which have been endorsed by the US, Britain and other leading European Union members. So far, Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister, has avoided the veto question, saying that until a resolution is put to the Security Council there is “nothing to veto”. At Russia’s instigation, the Security Council is on a mission to Europe, including the Balkans, this week. The 15 ambassadors are visiting Kosovo, the disputed and UN-administered southern province of Serbia, where the ethnic Albanian majority demands independence. The team is also visiting Serbia, which insists that Kosovo must remain part of its territory. One western observer said he feared the possibilities for Russia ranged from a veto to grudging support for a weak resolution – far removed from the Ahtisaari plan. While Russian officials deny they are deliberately delaying a settlement, they argue there should be no rush to judgment. Yuri Fedotov, the Russian ambassador to London, told journalists this month: “If we have been waiting a few years, why should we take a decision in a few weeks?” Russian officials say they would support any settlement negotiated between Serbia and Kosovo. But Mr Ahtisaari says negotiations cannot bridge an unbridgeable gap. The US and other western powers agree. They fear that the ethnic Albanians might take matters into their own hands and declare independence unilaterally if they are forced to wait much longer. Russia’s position seems rooted in four considerations. First, Serbia is a traditional ally and a Balkan base for Russian companies. Next, with Moscow keen to demonstrate its political resurgence, Kosovo is an opportunity to assert Russia’s influence deep in Europe. The Kremlin still resents the 1999 Nato assault which forced Serbia from Kosovo. Third, Russia might still hope to exploit differences over the Ahtisaari plan within the EU, with Spain, for example, having reservations. Finally, Russia has given warning that if the ethnic Albanians win independence without UN agreement, a precedent will be set for other separatists – not least in the former Soviet Union. President Vladimir Putin has explicitly linked Kosovo with the troubled Caucasus saying “commonly recognised universal principles” were needed. In Georgia, for instance, Russian-backed separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia have sought independence. Moscow publicly endorses Georgia’s territorial integrity, but has also given the separatist authorities political and financial support. Georgia says Russia has gone further and tried to exacerbate the conflicts. In Moldova, meanwhile, Russia has backed the breakaway region of Transdniestria. In the past month, it has unilaterally proposed plans for ending the conflict between Transdniestrian and Moldovan authorities – ignoring mechanisms for consulting the EU. While there are no direct links between the Moldova and Kosovo disputes, Russia’s unilateral approach could be seen as a response to what it views as the west’s effort to impose a one-sided settlement in Kosovo. Copyright <http://www.ft.com/servicestools/help/copyright> The Financial Times Limited 2007 View <http://www.ft.com/cms/s/057975f0-f421-11db-88aa-000b5df10621,_i_rssPage=7c485a38-2f7a-11da-8b51-00000e2511c8.html> article...
