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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Russia consistent in position that UN principles must not be violated in resolving Kosovo-Metohija issue

Belgrade, 7 November 2006

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica met with a delegation of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, led by first vice-speaker of the State Duma and head of the Russian delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Lyubov Sliska.

Sliska said at the meeting that the principled position of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the State Duma is that the fundamental principles of the UN should not be violated while resolving the issue of the future status of Kosovo-Metohija, neither should exceptions be made in the international order. She reiterated that Russia will consistently hold to principled politics.

She pointed to the fact that Russia is against declarations that the issue of Kosovo-Metohija should be resolved by the end of this year, and added that the process of seeking a solution is not over.

Sliska stressed that the result of the referendum, at which the majority of Serbs supported the Constitution, which states that Kosovo-Metohija is an integral part of Serbia, must be taken into account while deciding the future status of Kosovo-Metohija.

Kostunica said that Serbia greatly values the principled position of President Putin and the State Duma that international law must be respected and there can be no one-sided decision to change state borders.

The Serbian Prime Minister warned that any attempt to impose a solution would set a dangerous precedent and have far reaching and unpredictable consequences.

Kostunica stated that Serbia has confirmed her commitment to upholding basic principles of international law through the new Constitution, in the Preamble which states that Kosovo-Metohija is an integral part of the territory of Serbia.

The participants of the meeting stressed that Russia and Serbia cherish traditionally close friendly ties, and emphasized that cooperation between parliaments of the two countries is exceptionally good, adding that there is a great scope for further improving economic cooperation.