Russia prepares measures in case of unilateral independence of Kosovo
The Russian foreign minister’s envoy for the Balkans, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, said Monday that Russia had prepared a whole set of measures for the case of Kosovo making a unilateral declaration of independence and the Western countries recognizing that independence.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Botsan-Kharchenko said that the measures were completely in line with the Russian position, i.e. did not depart from its principled stand.
The Russian diplomat pointed out that Moscow had closely coordinated steps and actions with Belgrade, adding that he was unable to reveal the said measures "for understandable reasons." The Russian leadership will unveil them, he said.
"In the current situation, Moscow is trying to do everything to keep matters within a legal framework and resume the negotiations on Kosovo," Botsan-Kharchenko said, confirming that Russia had "a detailed plan" for the resolution of Kosovo's status, developed in late December and early January.
"That plan is very detailed and refers to how the negotiations should resume and in what conditions. The plan also takes certain EU priorities into account, such as the deployment of its mission to Kosovo, as well as Belgrade's interests," he said.
Botsan-Kharchenko also said that Russia was ready to present the plan immediately, but only if the West really wanted the talks to continue and agreed to keeping the entire process under the control of and within the UN Security Council.
He went on to say that a unilateral proclamation of Kosovo's independence could "de facto" lead to the partitioning of the province.
Botsan-Kharchenko said that this way the West would come to the option it had previously considered the worst, and which it had opposed.
