Kosovo may be granted independence without UN resolutionJuly 18, 2007 - 18:09 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Seeking to raise pressure on Russia, the European Union said on Thursday it could withdraw the issue of Kosovo's final status from the UN Security Council if Moscow does not accept a resolution soon.EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana made the comment after Russia rejected a third draft UN resolution on the province on Monday, a watered-down text calling for more Serb-Albanian talks which Moscow said was still "permeated with the concept of the independence of Kosovo." Ethnic Albanian leaders in the breakaway Serbian province said the Council had failed on Kosovo and urged the West to offer an alternative route to independence from Serbia. Solana said a further 120-day period of shuttle diplomacy between Belgrade and Pristina would be conducted instead under the authority of the major power Contact Group, where Moscow has a seat but not a veto. After that period, the final status of Kosovo would be fixed. "We hope that will be decided in the context of a United Nations resolution," Solana said, implying the West might seek another source of legitimacy if Russia was still stonewalling. Asked whether UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari would remain as mediator, he said: "I cannot answer that formally now but I think it will probably be under the aegis of the Contact Group." The informal group, created in the mid-1990s to oversee Balkan diplomacy, comprises the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Russia. Solana said there was still a short period left to push for a UN resolution. He spoke after meeting Ahtisaari, whose peace plan called for Kosovo's independence under EU supervision, Reuters reports. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Politico: Belarus delivered advanced weapons to Azerbaijan in 2018-2022 Belarus delivered advanced weapons to Armenia’s enemy even though both countries were supposedly allies in a defense pact. Armenia Security Council chief to attend Ukraine peace summit Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan will take part in the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland. Armenian govt. approves ratification of EAEU-Iran free trade deal At a meeting on Friday, June 14, the Armenian government approved the ratification of an EAEU free trade agreement with Iran. Deputy U.S. Secretary of State to arrive in Yerevan Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma will travel to Yerevan, Armenia from June 17-19 to. |