US and Russia stand firm on positions, as Ban and Ruecker report to UNSC
The US and Russia stood firm behind opposite positions considering the future status of Kosovo Tuesday, as the UN Security Council debated fresh reports on developments in the Serbian province.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Russian ambassador to the UN, Vitaliy Churkin called on the two sides, as well as the international community to do everything possible to find a negotiated agreement and warned that any other outcome would have destabilizing consequences in the region, in Europe and the world.
"First, we will have ‘troika' reporting to the Secretary General, and then a decision on how to proceed...But, whatever the hypothetical scenarios on unilateral recognition of Kosovo's independence we might have, it's all unacceptable", Churkin said.
He said the troika process made a good start and a negotiated agreement was possible.
"The first meeting showed indications of progress, the Serbian side is thinking very creatively", Churkin said, adding it was possible to reach an agreement if the international community was really focused on it.
He criticized the countries who say that the independence of Kosovo was "inevitable".
US envoy, Zalmay Khalizad, however, warned that time was running out for the Kosovo status process.
"The best solution would be if sides manage to reach an agreement. But if they do not...status issue has to be solved soon. The time is running out", said Khalizad.
The ambassadors spoke following the reports presented by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Unmik chief Joachim Ruecker on the latest developments in Kosovo, including the fresh warnings considering the security situation in the province.
Ruecker said the UN was investigating reports of appearance of the Albanian National Army (ANA) - a group dubbed ‘terrorist' by the world body - which allegedly patrolled a highway in northern Kosovo last week, according to footage by the province's public broadcaster.
