INDEPENDENT KOSOVO NOT AUTOMATIC SOLUTION FOR ALL STATES

RIA Novosti, Russia
Dec 24 2007

MOSCOW, December 24 (RIA Novosti) – A Russian diplomat said on Monday
that Kosovo’s independence would not make it an automatic solution
for other breakaway regions and warned that new tensions were looming.

Throughout long-lasting talks aimed at finding a solution to the
status of Serbia’s breakaway province, Russia has backed Belgrade in
opposing Kosovo’s sovereignty, warning it would have a knock on effect
for other secessionist areas, such as Transdnestr in Moldova, South
Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia and Nagorny Karabakh in Azerbaijan,
so called frozen conflicts since the 1990s.

"We note the precedent in possible recognition of Kosovo’s
independence, but we abide by international laws and concrete
positions of parties to any given conflict. Anyway, we do not expect
any automatic reaction," Andrei Denisov, first deputy foreign minister,
told a news conference.

But the official added that a decision on Kosovo would be taken
into account when dealing with unrecognized republics in former
Soviet states.

"Another area of tension is building in international relations,
which Russia has always opposed," the diplomat said, adding that
measures to promote tolerance and cooperation were the best methods
of settling conflicts.

The UN Security Council failed on Wednesday to bridge divisions over
the future of Kosovo. Most Western countries are seeking independence
for the volatile area, which has been a UN protectorate since NATO
bombings of the former Yugoslavia ended a bloody war between dominating
Albanians and Serb forces in 1999.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said last week Russia would undoubtedly
apply its veto right in the UN Security Council if a decision on
unilaterally proclaiming Kosovo independence was made.

Some other Security Council members, including Cyprus and Greece,
have also voiced opposition to a unilateral declaration of sovereignty
by Kosovo, fearing this could set a precedent for separatist regions
on their territories.