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“Ahtisaari plan incompatible with compromise”
31 July 2007 | 15:00 | Source: ITAR-TASS
*MOSCOW -- The promotion of the Ahtisaari plan is incompatible with a
compromise Kosovo solution, a Russian diplomat says.
* The introduction of artificial timeframe is also irreconcilable with
the task, Itar-Tass reported Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail
Kamynin as saying Tuesday.
“After the suspension of the debates in the UN Security Council on a
Western resolution draft on the Kosovo status partners in the Contact
Group reiterated their agreement with Russia’s proposal to continue the
negotiations between Belgrade and Priština in order to find compromise
on the province’s status,” Kamynin said.
“Russia adheres firmly to the position that only such solution can be
endorsed by the UN Security Council,” he remarked.
The Russian diplomat believes that “negotiations on the Kosovo status
may begin already soon, if the Contact Group prepares for them thoroughly.”
“It is expected that the UN secretary general will launch this process,
which will remain on the UN agenda and under control of the UN Security
Council,” Kamynin indicated.
“The promotion of Ahtisaari’s plan, which Serbia rejected and the
introduction of artificial timeframe, all this is incompatible with a
task to reach compromise,” Kamynin emphasized.
“Such practice at the current responsible stage of the negotiating
process should be ruled out,” he noted.
“Moscow will join the Troika, which is under formation upon agreement
with the Contact Group in order to assist in the search for agreements
between Belgrade and Priština,” Kamynin said.
The Foreign Ministry’s spokesman believes that “this format can be
effective, only if Russia’s partners draw proper conclusions from the
previous stage of the negotiating process, debates in the UN Security
Council.”
“It is necessary to refuse from encouraging only one side, take into
account duly Belgrade’s proposals, count on UN Security Council
Resolution 1244, contribute to its implementation and grant proper
rights for ethnic minorities,” the diplomat said.
“A thorough evaluation of positions and concerns of the Troika members
will allow for cooperating actively and productively in this format and
with the parties encouraging them to reach compromise, but not imposing
consciously unacceptable variants,” Kamynin believes.
“Russia is ready for such cooperation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry’s
spokesman said.
Serbian News Network - SNN
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