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Russia entertains the possibility of EU forces in Kosovo

Russia's foreign minister on Friday signaled that his country would accept the EU replacing the UN in Kosovo only with the blessing of Serbia and the UN Security Council, where Moscow holds veto power.

"If the EU wants to replace the UN it's not impossible," Sergey Lavrov said on Russia's Vesti-24 television. "But to do that, two conditions must be fulfilled: It's necessary to pass a UN Security Council Resolution ... and have Belgrade's agreement for that."

The EU agreed a week ago to send an 1,800-strong police and security mission to Kosovo to replace the current UN administrative mission in the province, which has been run by the UN and NATO since 1999.

Lavrov, who strongly warned the US and the EU against backing Kosovo independence, said that any action taken outside the UN would undermine international law and set a dangerous precedent for other conflict zones.

He said that many in the EU appeared to realize the dangers of backing Kosovo's independence outside the UN and sought a UN endorsement for an EU mission in the region.

"That's why they are trying to get at least some kind of reaction by the UN Security Council to their decision to send an EU police or civilian mission to Kosovo," Lavrov said.

In a statement later on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin also said Security Council approval would be required to change the structure of the Kosovo mission. But he claimed the US and EU intend to turn the mission "into an instrument for construction of an `independent Kosovo'" -- a more fundamental change he said would be a "crude violation of the UN Charter."

Serbia, backed by Russia, insists that Kosovo, a province of Serbia that is 90 percent ethnic Albanian, should remain part of its territory. But the Kosovars demand independence, which would be backed by the US and key European nations.

The US and Europeans have insisted the issue of Kosovo's future status is unique, and would not set a precedent for other separatist groups, as Russia and Serbia claim.

At an EU summit on Dec. 15, leaders rejected immediate unilateral recognition of an independent Kosovo. They agreed to try to coordinate a phased-in recognition of Kosovo's independence and also left the door open for a negotiated settlement.
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