Russia wants major overhaul of Kosovo Contact Group
MOSCOW. June 9 (Interfax) - Russia will call for major changes to be introduced in the way the Kosovo Contact Group operates, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The Kosovo Contact Group comprises Russia, the United States, Great Britain, Germany and France.
"Russia will urge the Contact Group's other members to introduce drastic changes in their work and strictly adhere to all provisions of the UN Security Council's Resolution 1244 [on Kosovo]," Lavrov said at a news conference following talks with Foreign Minister of Serbia and Montenegro Vuk Draskovic in Moscow on Wednesday.
Lavrov underscored the need for "normal conditions to be created for all people living in the province. It is necessary to ensure that the 200,000 Serb refugees return to this province," he said.
He called on the international community to contribute "to disarming illegal armed units in Kosovo."
Tuesday's session on the UN Security Council's Contact Group in Pristina "saw an unpleasant conversation on the KFOR forces' failure to take advantage of their powers" to stem sorties by Albanian extremists, Lavrov said. <>
