MOSCOW, February 16 (Itar-Tass) — The result of a referendum in northern Kosovo proved that the settlement of the Kosovo problem is possible only through direct negotiations between the parties concerned, a diplomatic source in the Russian Foreign Ministry commented Thursday on a referendum for the legitimacy of the Kosovo-Albanian authorities in four Serbian-populated municipalities in northern Kosovo on February 14-15 at the initiative of local executive chiefs.
“According to the preliminary results, over 99% of voters cast their votes for the non-recognition of the Pristina authorities, the turnout was at 75%,” the Russian diplomatic source said.
“The fact of the referendum and its results showed that the Serbian population of the province does not want to give up Kosovo's independence, which the Kosovo-Albanian authorities proclaimed unilaterally, as well as Pristina’s attempts to put Serbian municipalities under its control,” the diplomatic source pointed out.
“The situation in northern Kosovo, the position of its residents once again proved our statement that the settlement of the Kosovo problem is possible only through direct negotiations between all the parties concerned with the strict observance of the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which remains the internationally recognized basis for the settlement, as well as the provisions and principles of the international law,” the diplomatic source in the Russian Foreign Ministry underlined.