Putin: Russia and Greece share position on Kosovo
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday, after a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, that Russia and Greece agreed on many international issues, including Kosovo.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Wednesday, December 19, 2007
"At the meeting, we reviewed a number of European issues, and our positions on many of them remain the same. I am primarily referring to the situation in the Balkans, including the Kosovo problem, regulating the issue of Cyprus, and the matter of relations between Russia and the EU," Putin said.
According to him, Russia and Greece must give a strong contribution to further developing dialogue and make the world more just and democratic, free from the use of crude force and blackmail.
Russia and Serbia advocate a compromise solution for Kosovo, the implementation of international law and are against changing borders without a UN decision.
At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Europe and the US of trying to find a solution for Kosovo that was not based on law.
"Those who are blocking negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina are taking huge responsibility," the Russian foreign minister said.
"Attempts are being made to interpret the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 in such a way that it does not prohibit a declaration of the province's independence," Lavrov said, adding that "the resolution does not foresee an outcome that would not be based on negotiations between the two sides."
