Serbia, Russia reject Albanian rule in Kosovo
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-02-25 23:57
BELGRADE - Serbia intends to rule parts of Kosovo where "loyal citizens" still
look to Belgrade for government, Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said on
Monday.
He won renewed backing from Russia, whose likely next president, Dmitry
Medvedev, made a high-profile visit to say Moscow will continue to back Serbian
sovereignty, despite Western support for the independence of Kosovo.
Kostunica said protest rallies against the new republic would continue and
there would be no normalisation of ties with capitals which had accepted it,
until they changed policy.
"Serbia will do everything to implement its jurisdiction and state prerogatives
for all loyal citizens in Kosovo -- Serbs and non-Albanians," Kostunica said.
"There cannot be normalisation of relations with the states that recognised
Kosovo independence until they annul their decision. Protest rallies will not
stop as long as illegal independence is not annulled."
Medvedev, who met Kostunica and president Boris Tadic, said there would be no
shift in his country's support for Serbia after the presidential election next
week.
"We assume that Serbia is a single state whose jurisdiction covers all of its
territory," Medvedev said. "We will stick to this position."
Serbia sees Kosovo as the cradle of the nation, where Serb history dates back
1,000 years and ancient monasteries dot the land. But few Serbs have visited
the province, where 90 percent of the people are ethnic Albanian.
Don't condone violence
Kosovo's United Nations governor Joachim Ruecker urged Serbia to confirm its
respect for the UN mandate, following Belgrade's endorsement of mob attacks on
border posts and disruption of police and justice in the Serb-dominated north.
Ruecker said he told visiting Serb Minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic,
that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 puts the UN and the NATO-led
peacekeeping force KFOR "in charge of the whole territory of Kosovo".
"I made it very clear to him that the condoning of violence, direct or indirect
support for violence, is totally unacceptable," Ruecker said, referring to
earlier remarks by Samardzic saying that attacks on border posts were
legitimate.
Samardzic said Serbia would do all it can to maintain peace and order "in the
areas that it controls, where Serbs live".
"We will keep convincing Serbs to cooperate with the UN mission," he said. But
the UN must remember that violence against international law begets violence.
Serbia would also provide jobs, schooling and infrastructure in Serb areas of
Kosovo, Samardzic said.
"They must enjoy life in the Serbian state as all other citizens of Serbia
enjoy that life. Serbia will do everything to achieve that," he told reporters
in central Kosovo.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2008-02/25/content_6483363.htm
