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Russia Calls for Respect for Yugoslavia's Sovereignty
Russia said Thursday that it hopes the new head of the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) will strictly respect the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY).
Taking the floor at the UN Security Council open debate Thursday, Russian representative Geennadi M. Gatilov said UNMIK's former head had allowed several distortions to Security Council Resolution 1244 to occur, and several precedents to be established, which could have led to the separation of Kosovo from the FRY.
"Hopefully, this flawed practice would now end," he said.
Any decision on matters of great importance to the Kosovo province must be taken in agreement with the authorities in Belgrade, he stressed.
He said that the status of the international presence must be addressed and settled, by the signing of an appropriate agreement with the FRY, and the timing for Kosovo-wide elections and the parameters of the special autonomy for the province must be decided in close consultation with Belgrade.
He noted that questions about the holding of elections must be decided against the projection of a comprehensive settlement in the province.
Any actions further reducing the ethnic diversity of the province would complicate efforts for the future, he warned.
Gatilov said the so-called "Balkan syndrome" caused by NATO's use of depleted uranium in Kosovo and the resultant impact on the health of Kosovars and international personnel was a source of concern.
The issue was not a minor one for the council, but one that fell firmly within its sphere of competence, he said.
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