Moscow doesn't want "artificial deadlines" in Kosovo talks

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to the inquiry of the Beta agency into Russias position on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

A comment issued by the Ministy's Information and Press Department on July 20 noted that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is conducted with EU mediation under the UN General Assembly Resolution of September 9, 2010.

"The position of the Russian Federation is as follows: This process relies on international law and the fundamental document of the Kosovo settlement, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, according to which the Autonomous Province of Kosovo is part of the Republic of Serbia," the Russian MFA said, adding:

"Russian-Serbian relations have the nature of a strategic partnership. Contacts between Moscow and Belgrade, including those at the top level, are fairly intensive. The situation around Kosovo and other urgent bilateral and international issues are systematically discussed. They were reviewed at the meeting between President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic in Moscow on May 8 of this year and between Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Lavrov and First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Serbia Ivica Dacic in Moscow on June 28 of this year."

"We are resolutely opposed to the artificial deadlines for a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. We believe the Kosovo issue can only be resolved on terms that are acceptable to Serbia," the Russian MFA concluded.