01 November 2006

Kosovo settlement depends on sides' position, Lavrov says

ITAR-TASS (RUSSIAN FEDERATION), 04.10.2006, 15.34

STRASBOURG, October 4 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kosovo settlement depends on the sides' position and not on what decisions are being taken in the Contact Group.

Speaking at the PACE session on Wednesday, Lavrov said, "It is necessary to solve this problem by talks, in particular between the leadership of the province and the national minority."

On the U.N. Administration in Kosovo, the minister stressed, "These international forces should be sent to the province to prevent a bloodshed. But the U.N. cannot govern in the province endlessly. In addition, there are objections on the implementation of certain resolutions on Kosovo."

Commenting on the deployment of such administrations in other conflict areas, Lavrov said, "There are no reasons for this. In Abkhazia, South Ossetia and the Dniester region the sides agreed themselves on methods to promote the settlement."

"It is necessary to work in the existing formats. This is the unique way to ensure 'frozen' conflicts should not grow 'hot'," the Russian minister pointed out.