( Itar-Tass ) - Unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence would start a chain reaction in various parts of the continent, Russia's acting Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner on Tuesday.
"I do not see a way how unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence might stabilize the situation in Europe," he said. "It would start a chain reaction in various parts of the continent. This a sort of scenario Russia would like to prevent."
"If somebody keeps talking the declaration of independence is inevitable, Kosovo's Albanians will have no incentives to negotiations. But if we urge Belgrade and Pristina to achieve accord, there will emerge a good chance," the Russian acting foreign minister said, adding he was strongly against "fortune-telling with coffee."
The chief Russian diplomat recalled that "on December 10 the question of Kosovo's future status will be returned to the UN Security Council and the SC will study the report on progress in the talks achieved by then."
" Russia believes it is impossible to set any artificial deadlines," Lavrov said. "We don't set any deadlines for the creation of a Palestinian state, do we? The Palestinians have been waiting for it for the past sixty years. No do we set any dates for the settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict as such. In all these situations we are for further talks. The same is true of Kosovo."