http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080616/110727736.html
Russia says Kosovo's new constitution violates UN resolutions
18:30 | 16/ 06/ 2008
MOSCOW, June 16 (RIA Novosti) - Kosovo's new constitution is in
violation of a UN Security Council Resolution, Russia's Foreign
Ministry said on Monday.
Kosovo's new constitution came into force on Sunday after nine years of UN
administration.
"This act [the entry of the constitution into force] continues a string
of measures for the arbitral formalization of the territory's
sovereignty and the policy of violating international law, only
aggravating the tense situation in Kosovo and isolating the Serb
population," the ministry's information and press department said.
The ministry said that Pristina, by declaring its intention to curtail
cooperation with the UN mission in Kosovo, "is in gross violation of UN
Security Council Resolution 1244 that assigns the central role in the
Kosovo settlement to the United Nations."
Kosovo, with a 90% ethnic-Albanian majority, has been formally
recognized as a sovereign state by 43 countries including the U.S. and
most EU members since it proclaimed its independence from Serbia on
February 17.
Serbian President Boris Tadic said on Sunday that Serbia does not
recognize Kosovo's new constitution as its adoption will have negative
consequences.
"For Serbia, it [the constitution] has no legal force. Serbia considers
Kosovo as its southern territory. Serbia continues to defend its
independence and sovereignty by peaceful means, with the help of
diplomacy rather than force," Tadic said.
According to Tadic, Belgrade is continuing to insist on further negotiations on
the status of Kosovo.
Russia and China back Belgrade's position that Kosovo must remain a part of
Serbia.
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