Post by Fender on Feb 14, 2008 7:39:45 GMT -5
Putin calls west's Kosovo support 'immoral and illegal'Mark Tran and agencies guardian.co.uk, Thursday February 14 2008 Article history · Contact us Contact usClose Report errors or inaccuracies: userhelp@guardian.co.uk Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard:
+44 (0)20 7278 2332
Advertising guide License/buy our content About this articleClose This article was first published on guardian.co.uk on Thursday February 14 2008. It was last updated at 12:00 on February 14 2008.
Russian president Vladimir Putin speaks during the state council session in Moscow. Photograph: Vladimir Rodionov/EPA
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, today launched a scathing attack on countries planning to recognise Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia.
Recognition of Kosovo's independence would be "immoral and illegal", and European countries should be "ashamed" of their double standards, Putin said ahead of Kosovo's expected declaration on Sunday.
Putin also used the last annual news conference of his eight-year presidency to attack an international group for not sending observers to Russia's election in March.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has refused to send observers to the election, accusing Russia of setting restrictions that would prevent it from conducting an effective monitoring mission.
Putin accused groups within the OSCE of trying to "teach" Russia how to behave. "Let them teach their wives to make cabbage soup," he said.
On Kosovo, Russia has strongly backed Serbia's opposition to the province's desire to declare independence. Serbia has called for an emergency meeting of the UN security council today ahead of the province's like move to sever ties with Belgrade.
Russia expressed its support for the emergency session. However, western diplomats said the debate would not postpone Kosovo's final break from Belgrade.
In Pristina, Kosovo's prime minister, Hashim Thaci, said yesterday: "The Kosovo issue has already left the security council building."
Kosovo's independence has been carefully choreographed. Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands are expected to be first to recognise Kosovo as Europe's newest state, with the US following soon afterwards.
Other European countries will add their names in successive days, with only Cyprus likely to remain adamant in its refusal to acknowledge the new country, lining up with Serbia and Russia.
At his press conference, Putin accused the west of hypocrisy in its haste to recognise Kosovo.
"I don't want say anything that would offend anyone, but for 40 years northern Cyprus has practically had independence," Putin said. "Why aren't you recognising that? Aren't you ashamed, Europeans, for having these double standards?"
Dismissing the western argument that Kosovo is a special case, Putin repeated Russia's warning that supporting the province's independence would set a dangerous precedent for other separatist regions.
"We have Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Trans-Dniester, and they say Kosovo is a special case?" he said, referring to three breakaway, pro-Russian regions in the ex-Soviet republics of Georgia and Moldova.
Ahead of Kosovo's declaration of independence, the Nato-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo, Kfor, has stepped up its patrols and state of alert in case of clashes between Serbs and Albanians. The EU plans to deploy a 1,800-member stability mission to take over from the current UN mission.
The Serbian prime minister, Vojislav Kostunica, has said his government would consider Kosovo's assertion of statehood invalid "once and for all".
Serbia's defence minister, Dragan Sutanovac, said violence might escalate after the independence declaration, although he said he thought this would not happen. There are fears Serbs in northern Kosovo might make trouble and push for partition.
Undercover Serbian security forces say they are ready to respond with force if Albanians move into the Serbian enclave in the north.
+44 (0)20 7278 2332
Advertising guide License/buy our content About this articleClose This article was first published on guardian.co.uk on Thursday February 14 2008. It was last updated at 12:00 on February 14 2008.
Russian president Vladimir Putin speaks during the state council session in Moscow. Photograph: Vladimir Rodionov/EPA
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, today launched a scathing attack on countries planning to recognise Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia.
Recognition of Kosovo's independence would be "immoral and illegal", and European countries should be "ashamed" of their double standards, Putin said ahead of Kosovo's expected declaration on Sunday.
Putin also used the last annual news conference of his eight-year presidency to attack an international group for not sending observers to Russia's election in March.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has refused to send observers to the election, accusing Russia of setting restrictions that would prevent it from conducting an effective monitoring mission.
Putin accused groups within the OSCE of trying to "teach" Russia how to behave. "Let them teach their wives to make cabbage soup," he said.
On Kosovo, Russia has strongly backed Serbia's opposition to the province's desire to declare independence. Serbia has called for an emergency meeting of the UN security council today ahead of the province's like move to sever ties with Belgrade.
Russia expressed its support for the emergency session. However, western diplomats said the debate would not postpone Kosovo's final break from Belgrade.
In Pristina, Kosovo's prime minister, Hashim Thaci, said yesterday: "The Kosovo issue has already left the security council building."
Kosovo's independence has been carefully choreographed. Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands are expected to be first to recognise Kosovo as Europe's newest state, with the US following soon afterwards.
Other European countries will add their names in successive days, with only Cyprus likely to remain adamant in its refusal to acknowledge the new country, lining up with Serbia and Russia.
At his press conference, Putin accused the west of hypocrisy in its haste to recognise Kosovo.
"I don't want say anything that would offend anyone, but for 40 years northern Cyprus has practically had independence," Putin said. "Why aren't you recognising that? Aren't you ashamed, Europeans, for having these double standards?"
Dismissing the western argument that Kosovo is a special case, Putin repeated Russia's warning that supporting the province's independence would set a dangerous precedent for other separatist regions.
"We have Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Trans-Dniester, and they say Kosovo is a special case?" he said, referring to three breakaway, pro-Russian regions in the ex-Soviet republics of Georgia and Moldova.
Ahead of Kosovo's declaration of independence, the Nato-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo, Kfor, has stepped up its patrols and state of alert in case of clashes between Serbs and Albanians. The EU plans to deploy a 1,800-member stability mission to take over from the current UN mission.
The Serbian prime minister, Vojislav Kostunica, has said his government would consider Kosovo's assertion of statehood invalid "once and for all".
Serbia's defence minister, Dragan Sutanovac, said violence might escalate after the independence declaration, although he said he thought this would not happen. There are fears Serbs in northern Kosovo might make trouble and push for partition.
Undercover Serbian security forces say they are ready to respond with force if Albanians move into the Serbian enclave in the north.