Putin warns Kosovo against independence declaration, West against recognition

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that a Western-supported declaration of independence by Kosovo would be "illegal and immoral."

Speaking during a visit to Bulgaria, Putin reiterated Russia's call for further talks aimed at a compromise between Serbia and the ethnic Albanian leadership of Kosovo, the breakaway Serbian province.

"A unilateral declaration of independence, and support for this process by other countries of the international community, would be illegal and immoral," Putin told a news conference with Bulgaria's president, Georgi Parvanov. "Russia cannot support such a solution."

Russia, increasingly assertive on the world stage, is squaring off against the United States and some European nations over Kosovo's independence bid, saying it will not accept an outcome opposed by its ally, Serbia.

"We believe that negotiations on a Kosovo settlement should be continued in order to find a compromise that would satisfy both the Albanian portion of the population of Kosovo and the Serb portion," Putin said.



Read more: http://www.kyivpost.com/bn/28201/

[Selatius]

1. What's Russia going to do? Mobilize its army like it's the summer of 1914 again?

[boricua79]

2. wouldn't put it past them

and there's not much the U.S. can do about it.

Putin has shown that when he says he's going to do something (Grozny, Chechnya, for example), he means business. If that man said he was going to blow up Siberia, he was going to blow up Siberia.

[mr_hat]

3. Putin's Grenada?

[thereismore]

4. WTF is Putin dictating to other peoples what to do? Why does he even care. nt

[bazoona]

5. I'm working in Kosovo right now.

Every country has a take on independence for Kosovo with Russia being one of the few that support Serbia's position. The few others that do support the Serbian position are concerned that large ethnic populations in their countries will also seek independence. Russia is the most vocal in their opposition to independence.

Interesting times here right now.