Russian deputy FM, UN secretary-general's special rep discuss Kosovo

MOSCOW. Nov 9 (Interfax) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin and the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative and Head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, Caroline Ziadeh, have discussed the need for a UN full-format presence in Kosovo against the backdrop of the risk of escalation in interethnic tensions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its website on Thursday.

"Over the course of consultations, a substantive discussion took place regarding the Kosovo settlement process and the UN mission's work in the province. A pressing need was noted for a full-format UN presence in Kosovo against the backdrop of the remaining risks of escalation of interethnic tensions," the ministry said.

"The two sides confirmed there being no alternative to the existing international-law basis for the Kosovo settlement process, of which the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 remains a cornerstone," it said.

The sides also emphasized the importance of Belgrade and Pristina complying with the Brussels Agreements of 2013 and 2015, primarily in regard to the formation of a Community of Serb Municipalities which are meant to become a tool of protecting the Serbian population, the ministry said.