http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=44450
Azeri Press Agency
Reuters
February 19, 2008
U.S. tells China to understand Kosovo
-Kosovo’s action sets a worrying precedent for China’s
own territorial integrity. China regards the
self-governing island of Taiwan as part of its
territory and faces separatist sentiments in its
far-western regions of Xinjiang and Tibet.
Kosovo’s situation is "unique", a senior U.S. diplomat
told China on Tuesday, trying to assuage Beijing’s
opposition to independence for the region from Serbia.
"As I emphasized to our Chinese interlocutors today,
it is quite a unique situation in Kosovo, really very
unique, and ***there’s nothing like it in the
world***," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Chris
Hill told reporters in Beijing.
Earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu
Jianchao repeated his government’s objections to
Kosovo’s declaration of independence.
"We believe that resolution of the Kosovo issue
concerns the peace and stability of the Balkan region,
the basic rules of international relations and the
authority and role of the Security Council," Liu told
a regular news conference in Beijing.
Kosovo’s action sets a worrying precedent for China’s
own territorial integrity. China regards the
self-governing island of Taiwan as part of its
territory and faces separatist sentiments in its
far-western regions of Xinjiang and Tibet.
Liu said China wanted Serbia and Kosovo to reach a
mutually acceptable plan through negotiations.
"The Kosovo side’s taking unilateral action could have
a series of consequences, creating a severely negative
impact on the peace and stability of the Balkan region
and the Kosovo goal of creating a multi-ethnic
society. China has deep misgivings about this," Liu
said.
Hill, in China primarily to talk with Beijing and his
North Korean counterpart about Pyongyang’s nuclear
program, said the United States also wanted a good
relationship with Serbia.
Serbia has recalled its ambassador from Washington to
protest against American recognition of Kosovo, first
announced by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on
Monday. Russia also strongly opposes independence.
"As Secretary Rice made clear in her statement, we are
pleased at the declaration of independence," Hill
said, before leaving for Seoul.
"But we also feel very strongly we want to continue to
have a good and substantial relationship with Serbia
and ultimately a Balkans that is very much at peace
and one that is integrated into the European and
Atlantic systems," he added.
China’s ambassador to the United Nations has warned
that Kosovo’s independence declaration could cause
conflict and undermine the U.N., and repeated his
country’s "deep concern" over the nascent state’s
unilateral move.
Wang Guangya told an emergency session of the U.N.
Security Council, of which China is a veto-wielding
member, that negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia
should continue, the official Xinhua news agency
reported on Tuesday.
"The issue of Kosovo status does have its special
nature," Wang told the session.
"Nevertheless, to terminate negotiations, give up
pursuit of a solution acceptable to both parties and
replace such efforts with unilateral action will
certainly constitute a serious challenge to the
fundamental principles of international law."
The majority ethnic Albanian territory, once ruled as
a part of Serbia, has been under United Nations
supervision since 1999, when NATO bombing forced the
withdrawal of Serb forces....
Serbian News Network - SNN
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