http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080520/107903671.html
Russian Information Agency Novosti
May 20, 2008
Russia warns against transfer of UN Kosovo mission's
powers to EU
MOSCOW - Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday
that any transfer of the UN Kosovo mission's authority
to the European Union would contravene international
law.
Ministry spokesman Boris Malakhov said that if reports
that authority and property is being handed over by
the mission to the EU are confirmed, these moves would
be in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244
and "must be stopped immediately".
According to media reports, the EU plans to deploy a
2,000-strong police and justice mission in Kosovo to
eventually replace the UN mission.
The UN mission in Kosovo, stationed in the area since
the end of an interethnic conflict in 1999, plans to
reconfigure itself in the region after June 15, when
Kosovo's government is due to take over from the UN.
Kosovo, with a 90% ethnic-Albanian majority, has been
formally recognized as a sovereign state by 40
countries including the U.S. and most EU members since
it proclaimed its independence from Serbia on February
17.
Russia, Serbia's long-time ally and a veto-wielding
member of the UN Security Council, has refused to
recognize Kosovo's independence.
Serbian News Network - SNN
[email protected]
http://www.antic.org/
