Russia: Strategy for north violates 1244

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said that Strategy also generates tensions in the province.

"We believe that, under the existing circumstances, we should effectively prevent any attempt to implement decisions that may harm Kosovo," Nesterenko said. "By this I refer to the so-called strategy for the northern Kosovo, which violates UN SC Resolution 1244 and generates tensions in the province."

The Russian official also said that Moscow insists on the UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, to fulfill its obligations in representing Kosovo in regional and international institutions.

"There must be no changes in this respect," Nesterenko underlined at a regular briefing at the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"We believe that the reduction of UNMIK staff is unacceptable as this would undoubtedly limit the body's capacities in implementing the authorizations granted by the UN Security Council," Nesterenko also said.

According to him, Russia is confident that no one has the right to prevent UNMIK from fulfilling its tasks, including those referring to enforcement of democratic standards established by the international community.

The EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, said that it "firmly believes that progress in the north of Kosovo can be made only by dialogue".

A statement from the mission's press service further said that this could be achieved by involving all communities concerned, "and step by step".

The statement added that EULEX had "repeatedly stated that the 'Strategy for the north' is neither an EU strategy or a EULEX paper. It is a document drafted by the International Civilian Office (ICO)."

EULEX also said, Tanjug reported, that its staff did not visit the northern parts of Kosovo tasked with supporting the implementation of the ICO plan.

On Friday, Italian news agency ANSA reported from Pristina that EULEX spokeswoman Karin Limdal said a part of the mission staff "would be moving into northern Kosovo soon with the task of supporting the implementation of the plan of the ICO chief Pieter Feith", since the situation in that part of the province was "complex due to the existence of parallel institutions".

The same report, carried by Tanjug news agency, said that Limdal stated that EU officials who had visited the north "had the task of advocating the implementation of the ICO plan".

In its reaction, EULEX referred to the quotes attributed to Limdal as "false and completely inaccurate", adding that the mission never held the position attributed to its spokeswoman, said Tanjug.