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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia, Russia share principle-based policy on Kosovo future settlement

Belgrade, 18 July 2007

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Speaker of the Russian State Duma Boris Gryzlov pointed out in today’s meeting that Serbia and Russia share the same and principle-based policy related to the Kosovo-Metohija status settlement.

Boris Gryzlov, left, and Vojislav Kostunica

This policy is based on respect of universal principles of international law, the UN Charter and UN SC Resolution 1244 and on the principle that a solution must be based on a compromise of two sides, the two officials agreed.

Kostunica pointed out that new real negotiations on Kosovo are necessary that should result in an agreed solution between Belgrade and Pristina and noted that Serbia is ready for fresh negotiations that would be based on the valid UN SC Resolution 1244 and only under the patronage of UN SC.

The Serbian Prime Minister stressed that Serbia rejected the draft of the new resolution as it paves the way for province’s independence, and added that the new resolution should be result of agreement of two sides in accordance with the UN Charter and the Constitution of Serbia.

Kostunica also warned that the policy of violent alternation of borders is dangerous and that taking away 15% of Serbian territory and creating another Albanian state in the Balkans would be legal violence and have serious consequences not only for the region but for the whole international order.

Gryzlov stressed that Russia’s position about Kosovo is based on respect of fundamental principles of international order and Resolution 1244.

He pointed out that Russia supports negotiations within the framework of the existing Resolution 1244, and stressed that no resolution violating the UN Charter will pass in the UN SC.

Gryzlov also said that the issue of Kosovo cannot be viewed as separate from similar cases and warned that potential one-sided recognition of province’s independence would have a big effect on similar situations in Europe and in the world.

In the meeting, which also focused on economic cooperation of Serbia and Russia, Gryzlov said that Russian companies are interested in investing in Serbia in the fields of energy, transportation, infrastructure and metallurgy.

They agreed that Russian investments are in the best interests of both sides and it was suggested that Serbian construction companies take part in building infrastructure facilities for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi.

In the past year, commodity exchange between the two countries has improved considerably, important strategic infrastructure was launched and cooperation in all fields has been improved.