MOSCOW, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Russia will not use force in Kosovo though the situation in the region will continue to escalate following the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo authorities, Russia's permanent representative to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said on Sunday.
"We are not going to a spot distant from our borders
with any military or force actions. There is no direct threat on Russia. There
is no threat to our national interests there," Rogozin said on the air of the
Vesti-24 TV channel.
"We should understand that since our 'allies' have
turned the world upside down, we should assume this: there are no more rules
that can prevent threats to our security," Rogozin was quoted by the Interfax
news agency as saying.
Only one forecast can be made as to the further
development of the situation in Kosovo and Serbia: there will be "chaos instead
of order," he said.
"This is the first. Secondly, the international law,
the UN, the system of international relations, the rules of respectable military
behavior of states will not have authority any more. There will be only one rule
from now on: the one who has psychical and brutal force, will be strong and will
be right," Rogozin said.
Kosovo, the breakaway province of Serbia, has been
under the UN administration since 1999.
The ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo unilaterally
declared its independence from Serbia on Feb. 17. Belgrade has said the
proclamation is null and void.
PRISTINA, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim
Thaci said Sunday the entire territory is in full control of NATO-led
peacekeepers, the UN mission and local police one week after the declaration of
independence. Full story
BELGRADE, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Serbian Prime Minister
Vojislav Kostunica Sunday called on the United States to annul its decision to
recognize the independence of Kosovo. Full story
MOSCOW, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir
Putin said on Friday the recognition of Kosovo's unilateral independence by
several major world powers set "a terrible precedent." Full story
MOSCOW, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov and his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic on Friday condemned
Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence and the recognition by some
major world powers, Russian Foreign Ministry said. Full story