Byzantine Blog

Russia: Serbia’s Borders Can Never be Redrawn Without its Consent

Russia will not agree to a unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo and Metohija, because this would create a dangerous international precedent, Chairman of Russia’s State Duma International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev stated on Thursday.

A unilateral solution of the problem of Kosovo would be a violation of the Helsinki Act, because no border in Europe can be redrawn without the consent of all parties concerned, Russian news agency Itar-Tass quoted Kosachev as saying in an interview published by the Düsseldorf daily Handelsblat, clarifying that Kosovo independence would mean part of state territory has been taken away from Serbia.

“This may prove a problem for many other EU countries, where there are autonomies similar to Kosovo. Take Scotland, Corsica, the land of the Basques or Northern Cyprus. The effects (of such a step) would be unpredictable. Besides, Kosovo’s separation would run counter to the UN Security Council Resolution 1244,” Kosachev said.

Alexeyev: Russia will Only Support Solution Accepted by Serbia

Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Alexander Alexeyev said Wednesday in Backa Palanka that Russia will not accept any solution for the future status of Kosovo-Metohija to which Serbia will not agree.

Much patience is needed for finding a compromise solution for Kosovo status, he said, adding that Russia will not accept anything that would be unacceptable to Belgrade.

December 10 is the deadline by which the Contact Group Troika is to present a report on the process and outcome of the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina and nothing more, he told the press.

Asked to comment the latest measures taken by the international High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina Miroslav Lajcak, Alexeyev said the Dayton Accord should not be undermined and that the international community must be very cautious in regards to that document, as well as to the UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

Lajcak’s measures modifying the decision taking process in Bosnian Council of Ministers and Parliamentary Assembly have caused great dissatisfaction in the Republic of Srpska, since they do not conform to the Dayton Accord and are directly aimed against Republika Srpska.

Titov, Peskov: Unilateral Move would Create Dangerous Precedent

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov said Wednesday in a meeting the US Ambassador to Moscow William Burns that a solution acceptable to both Belgrade and Pristina must be found for the future status of Kosovo-Metohija.

Titov also told Burns that statements predetermining the outcome of the negotiations are unacceptable as they are incompatible with the goal of helping the dialog between Serbia and Kosovo Albanian separatists, Russian Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

The talks also focused on the situation in the Balkans with an emphasis on resolving the issue of southern Serbian province of Kosovo and on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the release says.

Russia’s support for a mutually acceptable solution was reiterated Wednesday also by First Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, who said that Russia has a consistent stand and advocates patient search for a solution acceptable to Belgrade and Pristina.

Any unilateral declaration of independence would be dangerous, and imposing a solution for Kosovo without taking into account Serbia’s interests would spread the danger of separatism not only to the post-Soviet lands, but also to Europe, he said.

Russia will continue to urge the search for a sustainable and functional solution, Peskov said.