New Kosova Report

Russia could use force over Kosovo

Friday, 22 February 2008

Russia could use force over Kosovo

MOSCOW (AFP)--Russia's envoy to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization warned Friday formal backing for Kosovo's independence by the European Union or NATO would give Russia the right to use "brute force" in future, Interfax news agency reported.

"If the European Union works out a common position, or if NATO breaches its mandate in Kosovo, these organizations will be in conflict with the United Nations," Dmitry Rogozin said in a video link-up from Brussels. "We too would then have to proceed from the view that in order to be respected we must use brute force, in other words armed force."

Russia, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, vehemently opposed Kosovo's independence declaration, reflecting Moscow's close ties with the leadership in Belgrade.

The E.U. doesn't have a common position on whether or not to recognize Kosovo, leaving the choice up to individual member states.

Rogozin also said he had received unconfirmed reports NATO troops were blocking the border between Kosovo and Serbia and not allowing Serbian officials to cross over into Kosovo.

"This is not what we agreed. If this information is confirmed, then here in Brussels there will be some tough talking with our partners, and there could be quite a dramatic development in relations between Russia and NATO," Rogozin was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying.

NATO "must not in any way get involved with politics and must instead do what it has done up until now: take a neutral position of non-interference in internal affairs," he said.