Putin: Russia firmly against unilateral independence of Kosovo
Russia once again voiced its strong opposition to Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence, saying that international willingness to bend under the tide of ethnic pressure presents an unacceptable development.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Wednesday, April 30, 2008
"We consider it unacceptable to say that it just happened to turn out that way. It did not just happen by itself, it happened with active support from some members of the international community," outgoing Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters in Moscow following a meeting with Greek Premier Costas Karamanlis.
Renewing the Russian opposition to the way the West handled Kosovo crisis, President Putin warned that there would be no unilateral moves towards independence if the West did not promise such a outcome to ethnic Albanians, or allowed the flow of weapons to the troubled region.
"We don't understand why people who fight for independence in some regions of the world are considered independence fighters, while in other regions, under the same conditions, they are called separatists and action is urged against them," Putin said.
Proposing the exit strategy to the international problems which derived from the latest chapter of Kosovo crisis, Putin urged the international community to adopt the unified stance within the frameworks of international law in order to cope with major crises.
"Only in this case both small and large states can feel safe. Anything else raises the tensions and the arms race. Therefore small countries believe that their security can be provided only through a defense capability, not through international law," Putin said.
Russia has been widely seen as the main opponent of Kosovo's independence on the international political scene, making it practically impossible for the West to push the province's statehood through United Nations procedure.
