http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=29869&cid=67&p=18.07.2008
Voice of Russia
July 18, 2008
BAN KI-MOON’S NEUTRALITY LEGITIMIZES ILLEGELITY
Alexander Vatutin
UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon’s claim of neutrality
on the issue of Kosovo status amounts to nothing else
but an attempt to destroy the existing form of
international presence in that Serbian province and
what’s more, the position of the head of the
international community’s pillar organization is
promoting the legitimization of the illegal
proclamation of a state.
The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov has this
week given the right assessment to Ki-moon’s hedging.
He used the opportunity of a meeting with his Serbian
opposite number, Vuk Jeremic to castigate Ban
Ki-moon’s position.
Moscow can’t accept moves to undermine Serbian
sovereignty; everything done by UN secretary general
in recent times amounts to the exceeding of his powers
and violates UN Security Council resolution 1244,
stipulating that the UN through its mission in Kosovo
bears full responsibility for happenings in the
province.
Lavrov has said that Ki-moon’s decision to transfer to
the EU the maintenance of law and order in Kosovo was
taken without consultation with the Security Council
and does not have the Council’s blessing; the
unilateral decision by Ki-moon has ulterior motives,
said Lavrov:
“We see in this an attempt to legalize a structure
that could have been occupied by the so-called
Ahtissari plan, in essence, that could have
legitimized the illegal proclamation of a new
creation”.
Moscow and Belgrade understand well the EU desire to
play a more prominent role in Kosovo affairs, but that
desire ought to be realized not unilaterally but on
the basis of UN Security Council resolution 1244,
respecting in full measure the world body’s Charter,
said Lavrov.
"We are convinced of the need for the UN secretary
general to consult in the future with the sides to the
conflict and all interested members of the world
community, and also convinced that a lasting solution
of the Kosovo problem can be found exclusively on the
basis of an agreement by the conflicting sides," said
Lavrov.
Russia strongly believes that direct negotiations
should reopen between Belgrade and Pristina, as is
contained in the UN decision. Moscow will back any
decision accepted by Belgrade that will not harm
Serbian sovereignty.
Serbian News Network - SNN
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http://www.antic.org/
