SKOPJE, December 1. /TASS/. The situation unfolding around Serbia and Kosovo looks like the systematic destruction of the agreements previously reached within the framework of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a press conference after attending the OSCE Ministerial Council.
"Actually, everything happening around Serbia and Kosovo fits perfectly well into the trend we see within the OSCE, which is to negotiate something first and celebrate the outcome, and later watch how initially petty and then major sabotage sets in," he said.
According to the minister, the fate of "many agreements which were reached under the OSCE umbrella and later methodically demolished by the West" are a perfect example of this.
The top Russian diplomat recalled how "following an appeal from the UN General Assembly, the European Union, a "great" mediator in numerous situations, was extremely anxious that the UN General Assembly would ask the European Union particularly to help bridge the gap between Belgrade and Pristina back in 2013 (which was more than ten years ago) and solemnly proclaimed that an agreement had been reached on the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo."
"Nothing has happened [since then]," Lavrov said. "Those people who were appointed by Pristina to head that Serbian land, have been flatly refusing and keep refusing to implement that agreement. Well, what does the European Union do? Does it demand in some way that they behave decently? No, it demands that Serbia reverse its stance, and also, it has already concocted a new document on the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo, which is strikingly different from what Belgrade and Pristina inked ten years ago."
"It is very similar to numerous situations with OSCE agreements and documents," the Russian foreign minister concluded.
Serbs being strong-armed
Lavrov pointed out that the European Union shies away from opening new chapters for negotiations on Serbia’s membership until Belgrade joins up with "all foreign policy decisions of the European Union, including sanctions against Russia." Furthermore, he continued, the Serbs are also urged to recognize Kosovo unconditionally or at least to support Kosovo becoming a member of international organizations.
"That is what Europe’s power of persuasion is like," the minister continued. "This line remains in place regarding Republika Srpska (in Bosnia and Herzegovina - TASS) and regarding those who think about the interests of their own people and who are determined to preserve their own human dignity in politics. Regrettably, there are fewer and fewer of them left, whereas all the others are moving in that direction which was proclaimed once, which is the end of history, the liberal world order, everyone is tarred with the same brush, one commander and the rest are walk-ons."
"We do not impose anything on anyone. It is up to each nation to decide how to live in the future," the Russian foreign minister emphasized.