Russian Ambassador: Solution for Kosovo Possible Only through Dialogue

Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV/MO)

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko said on Dec. 15 that the question of Kosovo could only be solved through the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina but that Russia was not happy with how it was progressing.

"As far as Kosovo goes, Russia as permanent member of the U.N. Security Council is helping Serbia  and preventing the legalization of attempts for Kosovo to become a member of international organizations," he said during a lecture on the subject of The Russian-Serbian Strategic Partnership and the Situation in the Balkans.

He added that Russia was concerned over the situation in Kosovo and that the international presence in Kosovo needed to be more active. "The possibility of solving the question of Kosovo exists only within the framework of dialogue, which is why Russia supported the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina under the auspices of the EU. We offered assistance for the dialogue to receive U.N. support," he said, adding that Russia was not happy with the way the dialogue was developing.

He stressed that Russia was constantly asking the EU to apply pressure on Pristina to meets the obligations that it signed, above all with regard to the Community of Serb Municipalities.