Ambassador: Moscow Will Support Kosovo Solution That Belgrade Supports

Moscow Ministry of Foreign affairs

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko has stated that Moscow's stance on Kosovo and following Resolution 1244 of the U.N. Security Council remained unchanged and that Moscow would support any solution supported by Belgrade.

We are certain, as is Belgrade, that a solid, sustainable solution for Kosovo and Metohija is possible solely on the basis of the foundational U.N. Security Council Resolution -- 1244, Botsan-Kharchenko told the Dec. 14 issue of the Vecernji List daily, adding that Moscow would only agree to a solution that aligned with the lawful interests of the Serbs and that had Belgrade's support. He added that Moscow held that ultimately the Security Council should approve any solution, the ambassador added.

Botsan-Kharchenko said Russia would continue to advocate rigorous respect for international law, and to provide principled support to Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, both in the U.N. and in other multilateral forums.

The ambassador said pressure on Serbia to impose sanctions on Russia and join NATO would rise. Unfortunately, even from afar, not everyone likes Belgrade's policy of independence, he said, explaining that it was exactly thanks to this measured line that Serbia preserved its social and economic stability, executed big infrastructure projects and bolstered its defensive capacities.