U.S. states Kosovo won't be part of Serbia, Russia does not agree with that statement

PanARMENIAN.Net - U. S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is sure that Kosovo is the last problem in the Balkans and that after resolution of its status the situation in the region will normalize. "Some European colleagues and me think that the Ahtisaari plan created a good base for settling the problem. Kosovo won't be a part of Serbia for sure. We will continue our work and try to find an effective solution," Rice stated at the press conference of G8 foreign ministers in Potsdam.



In his part Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov underlined Russian and U.S. stances on that issue are diametrically opposite. "I do not see any chances for approaching those stances yet," the Russian FM said. "Our western colleagues say that it is necessary to quickly recognize independence of Kosovo, since it is inadmissible to wait any longer. However, we are sure that any crises may be resolved only on the bases of mutual agreements between the sides," he added.



Lavrov expressed hope for continuing talks over Kosovo and that Russia will not have to use his veto power in the UN Security Council. "We want to find a stable and fair solution to that problem, otherwise this last problem in the Balkans will become the first in the problems both of Europe and other parts of the world. We do not want to take such a responsibility and will not take that responsibility," he stated responding to Rice's statements, BBC Russian service reports.



In general the status of Kosovo is one of the stumbling blocks in relations between Russia and West. Western countries support offers on recognizing Kosovo's nearly full independence from Serbia with a precondition that this case must not become a precedent for other regions in the world. Politicians Moscow says that this plan is not useful for Kosovo.



Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin made it clear that they may recognize Kosovo's independence but it will be viewed as precedent to justify similar moves on unrecognized states in the territory of the former Soviet Union. Now most likely world leaders will discuss the issue on the status of Kosovo during the "G8" summit in Heiligendamm.