13 November 2006

Russia, Serbia pledge to continue Kosovo talks

RELIEF WEB (SWITZERLAND)

Source: Government of Serbia
Date: 27 Oct 2006

Belgrade/Moscow, Oct 27, 2006 - Advisor to the Serbian Prime Minister Slobodan Samardzic, who is also coordinator of the state negotiating team for Kosovo-Metohija talks, said today in Moscow that the position of both Serbia and Russia is that continuation of negotiations has no alternative and that solutions must be based on norms and principles of international law.

Samardzic said that both sides agreed that the process should continue under the UN umbrella until reaching a compromise.

He stressed that the solution must be aligned with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and in the case a new resolution is passed, it would have to be based on the currently valid one.

Samardzic said that during the two-day talks in Moscow Serbian and Russian officials expressed hope that the negotiating process will resume after a slowdown.
The slowdown came after UN Envoy Marti Ahtisaari came out with a different proposal to adopt a new resolution by the end of the year, Samardzic said.

According to him, it is now completely clear that it will not happen and the process will continue based on proposals that Ahtisaari will make.