Russia accuses EU of encouraging separatism in world

Moscow, Feb 20 (UNI) Russia today accused the European Union (EU) of encouraging separatism in the world by pursuing a unilateral solution to the Kosovo problem.

''Pursuing the unilateral solution of solving the Kosovo problem and acting as detriment to stability in the Balkans and in Europe, the EU encourages separatism in the world,'' the official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement.

''Russia is still firmly convinced that the problem of Kosovo's status can be and must be settled reliably and in the long-term by elaborating a compromise solution with the leading role of the UN Security Council,'' he said.

Mr Kamynin said Russia's constructive proposals of options of continuing the status process have been submitted to the UN Security Council, which include the joint development of a roadmap taking into account the interests of both sides.

''Our initiative about the joint development of a 'road map' that would take into account the interests of both sides, the priorities of the key international participants in Kosovo settlement and outline 'milestones' of the sides moving to agreement in relationship with their prospects for European integration still remains in force,'' he pointed out.

''By proposing to each of the members to make up their mind about the relations with Kosovo, the EU Council in fact launches a chain reaction of its illegitimate recognition as an independent state,'' he said.

''References are being made to the international law and commitment of the EU to the UN Charter and to the principles of the Helsinki Final Act, which causes surprise,'' the spokesman added.

''The 'conclusions' of the European Union Council adopted on February 18 in connection with self-proclamation of Kosovo's independence actually make a set of mutually exclusive theses and alogisms,'' he noted.

He said the decision on opening the EU's mission in Kosovo also does not have any legal ground.

''As it is known, the preparation for opening the mission was carried out and is being carried out bypassing the UN Security Council. In this context, mentions in the 'conclusions' of Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council look absurd,'' he said.

''The actions of the EU do not correspond to the principles of interaction laid down in the Russia-EU 'road map' on the common space and security, first of all where it concerns the consolidation of the central role of the UN,'' he said.

''The assurances of the EU about its commitment to equal rights of citizens and protection of minority rights are apparently in dissonance with the situation within the EU itself, where tens and hundreds of thousands of residents of several countries do not have citizenship at all because of the known policy of governments of these states, Mr Kamynin said.

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