UN chief grilled by Moscow leaders over Kosovo
Highest Russian officials warned UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon that attempts to resolve international conflicts outside the UN – as was the case with Kosovo – are counteproductive and opposed to world’s peace and stability.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Thursday, April 10, 2008
"We think there is no basis for any talk of a crisis or problems at the United Nations. On the contrary, all unified nations should do everything possible to support and develop this universal platform for coordinating their interests," Russian President-elect Dmitry Medvedev said.
"Any attempts to resolve international problems in violation of United Nations resolutions -- in particular on Kosovo or other current problems -- are counterproductive and unfortunately do not contribute to reaching peace and stability," Medvedev said.
The situation in Kosovo, following Pristina's unilateral declaration of independence and recent adoption of constitution, has been widely seen as the main topic during three-days-long talks between UN chief and Moscow officials, including outgoing president Vladimir Putin and Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.
Medvedev, who was first in line to argue with UN chief, also warned that certain countries which supported Kosovo's sovereignty are interfering with operating standards of the world's organization and are dramatically undermining international law.
Ban replied that the international community has to adopt a new approach to the issue of Kosovo with the understanding of the fact that returning to the status quo is impossible and impractical.
"Now it is necessary to search for ways out of the complicated situation," Ban said.
"Secretary-General reaffirmed the UN's position of being neutral on the status of Kosovo and operating in accordance with Security Council resolution 1244, which set up the UN administration", his spokesperson told KosovoCompromise.com.
Ban said that the Serbian government was now making preparations for elections, including local elections, which would be held in Kosovo as well.
This is a very delicate political and legal situation, which has its consequences, he said, adding that that was why the Security Council had not given any precise guidelines.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin emphasized that Moscow's officials stressed the need for a bigger role in the United Nations' governing bodies.
"The growing and strengthening role of Russia in international affairs, which is not denied even by the most obvious skeptics, must be reflected by its larger representation in the divisions of the UN Secretariat, including its administration," Kamynin said.
