Russia opposes double standards in Kosovo
10.02.2006, 03.00

UNITED NATIONS, February 10 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Andrei Denisov called on Thursday to avoid double standards in settling the situation in Kosovo.

He told a press conference the solution should be found jointly by Serbia and Montenegro, Kosovo, and Albania.

At present the variants of resolving the situation in the province "are moving towards granting independence to the territory under international supervision".

"Our partners in the contact group for Kosovo claim the situation with the status of the province creates no precedent," Denisov said. However, it would be impossible to explain to residents of other regions with a similar situation that there is no coincidence with Kosovo.

He refrained from comparing the situation with Kosovo with that in the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Commenting on the intention of the Georgian parliament to stop Russian peacekeeping mission in South Ossetia Denisov said "such a decision can be passed only by the executive authority, by the president. However the head of the Georgian
state has not yet declared his position on the issue".

If Georgia makes Russian peacekeepers withdraw from the two breakaway regions "serious problems will emerge for both sides, including for Russia", as most residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are Russian citizens.

Denisov said that despite constant accusations from Tbilisi Russia "respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia". "Unfortunately, we hear a lot of hysteria, of accusations, but such is the reality, such are Russian partners in Georgia", the ambassador said.

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