Russia demands U.N. Kosovo chief be punished

Reuters ^

[kronos77]

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia demanded disciplinary action against the head of the United Nations mission in Kosovo on Thursday for preparing to hand over powers to a European Union mission that Moscow says is illegal.

Russia's foreign ministry made the demand on the same day NATO chiefs met to try and iron out problems over the international security presence in Kosovo, which announced its secession from Serbia this year.

Russia opposes the recognition of Kosovo's independence and says the UN mission, which provides policing and other support, cannot handover to an EU mission because the UN Security Council has not approved the move.

Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement it was "seriously concerned" by reports that Joachim Ruecker, the German head of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), was taking steps to close the mission.

"What we are talking about is scandalous obstinacy which should be decisively stopped," said the statement, which was posted on the foreign ministry's Internet site www.mid.ru.

"We proceed from the assumption that disciplinary measures, up to his dismissal, will be taken with regard to J. Ruecker."

"It is obvious that any actions with regard to UNMIK, or a changing in the format of the international presence in Kosovo, are only possible on the basis of a decision of the U.N. Security Council," the ministry said.

Russia is a historical ally of Serbia and argues that recognizing Kosovo's independence could open a Pandora's Box of separatist movements across Europe.

[kronos77]

[kronos77]

Ping!

[Liberty 275]

#1, get our troops out of Europe.
#2, let russia have the whiners for a while.

[Tailgunner Joe]

"The United Nations is the only universal international organisation," he said. "It is the key element of the whole system of international relations." - Vladimir Putin

Putin wanted UN rules, so he got UN rules. Fat lot of good it did.

[SQUID]

Germany is up to their eyeballs in the Balkans from the start. They are back to being Germany. The same Germany from the history books but this time packaged with expensive suites and the words Democracy dripping from their lying tongue.

[dschapin]

Actually, Russia didn’t get the UN rules. Instead our unelected stooge in the UN buearacracy violated the UN rules to do what the elitist internationalists in the US and Europe told him to do.

[Tailgunner Joe]

Nonsense. The UN will stay on in Kosovo to give the "fig leaf" of adherence to "international law" (snicker) and the EU mission will operate under the UN umbrella. It's really not much different than the current EU Pillar of the UN mission. Face it, Russia abandoned Serbia when they allowed the UN to come in and take over their territory nine years ago.