[NYTr] The UN's Role is Irreplaceable - Russia

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

Russia Insists on UN Irreplaceable Role

Moscow, Dec 24 (Prensa Latina) Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Serguei
Lavrov exhorted on Monday to a stronger reaction against those who try
to elude the United Nations on the definition of Kosovo's status.

"It is surprising that the intention of NATO and the European Union to
ignore the UN in the solution of the Kosovar problem has not caused the
deserved reaction," said Lavrov.

In his opinion, western countries have given the impression that in the
outcome of complex international problems, they can do without the UN,
without its authorization or resolutions.

The Voice of Russia radio station said the Foreign Ministers of UK,
Germany, France, and Italy, in a collective letter to their EU
colleagues, considered the time for discussions to reach an agreement
between Serbia and the Albanian-Kosovarshas come to an end.

They said tendentiously that subsequent conversations lack
perspectives, and proposed that the EU makes itself responsible for the
future of Kosovo, a similar criterion to that of the NATO Command, said
The Voice of Russia.

Lavrov considered EU and NATO are irresponsible when they incite
Kosovar leaders to split from the government of Belgrad and proclaim
their independence unilaterally.

"In those circumstances, the UN General Secretary and the Security
Council cannot be left out, and let their functions be usurped by other
countries or organizations," Lavrov stated.

"Russia insists on continuing the talks to reach a mutually acceptable
solution for Belgrad and Pristina," he concluded.

tac jpm PL-31