Russian envoy pessimistic about dialogue

20 January 2011 | 11:51 | Source: Večernje novosti

BELGRADE -- Russia does not see a role for itself in the negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo's Albanians, says Ambassador Aleksandr Konuzin. Aleksandr Konuzin (FoNet, file) At the same time, the Russian diplomat said that he was not optimistic about the outcome of the announced talks. Konuzin told Belgrade's Večernje Novosti daily that Russia will continue to support Serbia over Kosovo to the degree that Serbia itself exhibits consistency. "Russia did not recognize the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo and, like I said, has no intention of doing so," the ambassador was quoted as saying. He noted that the Kosovo issue should be solved using political methods and in line with international law, based on UNSC Resolution 1244. Asked about his expectations from the announced negotiations between Belgrade and Priština, Konuzin said he was not optimistic regarding the outcome. Asked if relations between Moscow and Belgrade would suffer should Serbia "in the coming years decide to join NATO", the top Russian diplomatic representative here said that NATO is not only a political, but primarily a military alliance, and that Russia views its enlargement as a security issue.