PODGORICA, Montenegro -- A senior US diplomat has urged Russia to work with the West on a solution to Kosovo's status. US Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Daniel Fried said during a visit to Montenegro on Sunday (July 8th) that Washington wants the issue resolved in the UN Security Council and is prepared to work with Moscow until an arrangement is made.
He added, however, that the United States remains committed to plans for Kosovo's independence. But during a conference in Dubrovnik on Friday, Fried hinted a delay is possible.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov weighed in as well. During a visit Monday to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, he said no resolution on Kosovo would pass the UN Security Council if it were unacceptable to Serbia. Later Monday, Council members are to begin discussing a draft resolution that calls for four more months of negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina.
In other news, veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army warned on Sunday that they were prepared to take up arms if the province is not granted independence. The Kosovo Veterans Association urged parliament to declare independence immediately, and called on the provincial government to reject any further delays. (RTS, Beta, Tanjug, AP, AFP, ITAR-TASS - 09/07/07; International Herald Tribune, AFP, Reuters, SETimes, AlbanianTimes)
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