Russian MP: Time-out in debate over Kosovo won’t be long

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First deputy chair of the Russian State Duma Committee for Foreign Affairs Leonid Slutsky believes that the time-out in the discussion of the situation in Kosovo will not be long. As a REGNUM correspondent reports, while commenting on the UN Security Council decision to block the issue of Kosovo status, Slutsky said: “I think we will be back to the discussion of the Kosovo dossier particularly at the UN level in the near future.”

Slutsky specified that the discussion over Kosovo can be continued in the next few months. At the same time, the MP is quoted as saying that “further move of the issue along with the tough Russia’s position against it is senseless.”

“Evidently, it looks like at least historical irresponsibility to introduce such monstrous standards in the practice of the UN, key world arbiter meant to find a Solomonic decision in the most complicated situations, to let those rule in the territories and build a new state who invaded the territory and ousted the native people, destroyed cultural, historical and religious monuments. Russia will not participate in such scenarios and decision-making,” Slutsky announced. “Russia stance, as it was earlier made clear at all levels, will remain unchanged. We cannot tolerate recognition of independence of the territory, after it was seized forcefully by an external party,” said the MP.

Leonid Slutsky pointed it out that in case of the positive decision for Kosovo such decisions can be applied to Western Sahara, East Timor and Transdnestr. He also noted that Russia has its understanding of the fact that those “advocating Kosovo’s independence shun from speaking for independence of Abkhazia, South Ossetia or Transdnestr.”

The talks on Kosovo status at the UN Security Council were blocked and no solution can be found inside the UN, US Permanent Representative to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad said after the consultations at the Security Council.