NEW YORK, May 27. /TASS/. Russia's ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday urged to stop delaying the process of creating a special court to investigate crimes committed by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the 1998-99 Kosovo war.
Vitaly Churkin told a UN Security Council meeting on Kosovo: "It is strange that establishment of such a body has become dependent on ‘legislative’ solutions in Pristina, in circumstances where political institutions in Kosovo are obviously unprepared to objectively assess such delicate problems connected with the negative legacy of the recent past."
"There are reports about continuing attempts in recent months by Western diplomats in Pristina to persuade Kosovars to adopt a text written for them which they say would provide them with more favourable results than those in the event that the issue reaches the Security Council," Churkin said, expressing his bewilderment at the very fact that such "friendly recommendations" could coincide with the ideas of the rule of law.
"We insist that a real progress in this area should be made as soon as possible," he said. "We confirm our stance that those guilty of the crimes mentioned shall be punished regardless of positions they are holding now."
Churkin also noted the need to resolutely counter any attempts by Kosovars to participate in conflicts in the Middle East, including their joining Islamic State and other radical organisations.