Ivanov: Kosovo’s independence would open the Pandora’s box
Russia warned on Sunday that a unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo would most definitely trigger a series of separatist movements worldwide, adding dangerous strains to existing ethnic conflict.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Monday, February 11, 2008
"It will create a hell of a problem," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Ivanov said at the Munich Security Conference amid what seemed to be the final international gathering ahead of "coordinated declaration of independence" in Pristina next weekend.
"If it comes to a unilateral recognition of Kosovo, that will be a precedent, which will definitely be beyond international law and that will be something close to opening a Pandora's box," Ivanov said.
Meanwhile, Russian diplomats told KosovoCompromise.com that Moscow would launch a wide diplomatic initiative to prevent international recognition of Kosovo's independence, including a urgent session of the United Nations Security Council, as early as next Monday.
Ivanov also warned that Kosovo's independence would be, legally, similar to the status of northern Cyprus, a Turkish enclave on the Mediterranean island which separated from the rest of republic in 1974, but has failed to gain wide international recognition ever since.
Russian objections will, however, hardly stop EU plans to start deploying the 1,800-strong mission in Kosovo as early as next week.
