MOSCOW, October 19. /TASS/. Unilaterally remaking the map of the Balkans should not be permitted, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told Serbia's Vecernje novosti newspaper ahead of his official visit to Belgrade.
"The Balkans still remain a rather unstable region, and we should do everything possible to not allow the repetition of any instances of violence, unilateral remaking of the Balkans' map or any other actions that can lead to a humanitarian catastrophe," Medvedev said.
"We cannot ignore the processes that are unfolding, the persistence from Pristina," he added. "Moreover, ultra-nationalist circles came to power there recently. It is obvious that now the developments will proceed with increased speed," he noted.
Responding to a question on the possibility of establishing "Greater Albania" in the Balkans, Medvedev said: "Ideas about different kinds of new associations and states are very dangerous because they inevitably provoke more aggressive and the most nationalist circles to achieve their goals with the help of violence, weapons — and there is enough of that still." The Russian prime minister said that such declarations are especially dangerous and called for closely monitoring the developments in the region.
Medvedev noted that Russia's position on Kosovo has not changed. "We proceed from the necessity to observe the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia. We proceed from the fact that it is necessary to rely on international law, not on unilateral actions, when discussing and resolving all issues," he concluded.
The Russian prime minister said that the striving of the United States to dominate in the world has a negative effect for the situation on the post-Yugoslav space. "In reality, the striving of the United States to dominate in the whole world, including on the Balkans and in Europe, is very harmful," he noted.
The US is demonstrating "unrestrained and absolutely unjustified striving to dominate in the whole world, including in Europe," he added. "They only like what they come up with in the White House and in the Department of State in Washington, they like only those ideas that will improve the economic well-being of the United States," the Russian prime minister stressed adding that this represents Washington's main course of action. "That's the reason behind statements that Russia supports this or that side, or harms someone," Medvedev said.
"Even Europe is now tired" of US policies, he noted. "This means, 'We want all weapons to be US-made, so buy it from us'," he explained. "That's what the current US authorities are saying - 'You spend too little money on weapons, buy our weapons. You are buying gas from Russia for some reason. Even though Russia is close to Europe, and the US is further away, you should buy our gas, first of all liquefied natural gas, so you have to give up working on the Nord Stream 2 and on the Turkish Stream [gas pipeline projects]," he concluded.