RUSSIAN SUGGESTION GETS WIDE SUPPORT AT THE UN
Chairman
of the UN Security Council, Dumisani Kumalo has said that the Russian
suggestion to send international contact group to Pristina and Belgrade
on a fact finding mission before a decision on the future of Kosovo,
has received wide support among Security Council members.
He said that such a trip was necessary to enable members of the
Council, especially new one not well informed about the Kosovo issue,
find out the true position. Mr. Kumalo also backed the Russian proposal
for a review of the implementation of earlier resolutions and as well
as current security situation in the province. The present predominant
Albanian population in Kosovo is demanding independence.
Last Monday Council members were presented with the plan by U/N
special envoy, Marti Ahtisaari on the settlement of the Kosovo future
status issue The plan proposes granting Kosovo practically independence
status under international control but Serbia is vehemently opposed to
such a plan and Russia has said that solving the Kosovo problem is not
possible without resolving the differences between Pristina and
Belgrade. The country is therefore most likely to use its veto power
should the Security Council endorse the Ahtisaari plan. Speaking on the
issue, chairman of the State Duma international affairs committee,
Constantine Kosachev said:
“We view it as important that both Pristina and Belgrade jointly
accept the plan on the future of Kosovo” “For now there are no human
rights in the province; Serbs forced into exile in the 90s still cannot
go back to their homes; the undue haste in forcing the settlement of
Kosovo future is unacceptable and counterproductive”.
Russian officials have said that since Marti Ahtisaari is to end his
mission soon with the writing of his final report, a new U.N special
envoy should be appointed to continue diplomatic efforts to solve the
Kosovo logjam. A hasty and ill-thought decision on the Kosovo issue
could set a dangerous international precedent capable of making
supporters of such haste to rue the day it was made.
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