http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12351593&PageNum=0
Itar-Tass
February 9, 2008
It’s illegal to replace UN contingent in Kosovo –
Kosachev
-“If the U.N. contingent in Kosovo is replaced by the
EU mission Russia will submit this issue to the U.N.
Security Council and use the veto right.”
-“By giving support from outside Kosovar separatists
are now under external control.”
MUNICH - State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee chairman
Konstantin Kosachev said it “will be absolutely
illegal” to replace the U.N. contingent in Kosovo by
the EU mission.
Speaking at the 44th Munich Conference on Security
Policy on Saturday, Kosachev said, “If the U.N.
contingent in Kosovo is replaced by the EU mission
Russia will submit this issue to the U.N. Security
Council and use the veto right.”
“The possible replacement of the mission in Kosovo is
absolutely illegal because neither Serbia nor Kosovo
are members of the European Union,” Kosachev told
Itar-Tass. “We should raise this question in the U.N.
Security Council if the European Union violates the
U.N. Charter, Resolution 1244 and use the veto right,”
he said.
“I’m convinced that the problem of separatism in
Kosovo will not be raised if eight years ago
Washington and Brussels give a strict signal to
Kosovar separatists on granting the province
independence,” Kosachev pointed out. He stressed, “By
giving support from outside Kosovar separatists are
now under external control.”
The Duma lawmaker said he is sure that if there was no
“external support there will be neither February 17
nor self-proclamation of independence”.
In his view, at present the warring sides have means
to overcome the conflict. “This is the proposal of
Serbia (Kosovo is part of Serbia), the programmes of
accession to the EU, the formation of a delegation to
be led by Belgrade politicians and with the
participation of Kosovo’s representatives and the
talks,” Kosachev said.
In his opinion, “If after Serbia’s admission to the EU
the problem of Kosovo’s independence remained on the
agenda this would be an EU matter. Then the problem of
independence would disappear or become less painful.”
But now “the process went too far… The EU had a
chance, but the choice was wrong,” Kosachev said.
He forecast that on February 17, “Kosovo will not be
given the status of full independence”.
At the same time, Kosachev said Russia “worked out its
position if Kosovo was given independence”.
Serbian News Network - SNN
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http://www.antic.org/
