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Russia warns NATO

MOSCOW: Russia’s envoy to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) warned the alliance against breaching its mandate and meddling in politics in Kosovo.

Ambassador Dmitry Rogozin said Moscow was alarmed by reports that NATO troops were blocking the border between Kosovo and Serbia and not allowing Serb officials into Kosovo, which unilaterally declared independence from Serbia last Sunday. Russia and Serbia denounced the move as illegal.

Mr. Rogozin said there would be some “tough talking” between Russia and NATO and “a dramatic development” in their relations if the alliance overstepped its mandate in Kosovo, Mr. Rogozin said in a video link-up from Brussels.

“Under no circumstances should the alliance get involved in politics.” The Russian envoy said he guaranteed “there will be no war between Russia and NATO over Kosovo” but the issue “will certainly hamper our dialogue”. If NATO breaches its mandate in Kosovo, it “will be in conflict with the United Nations,” Mr. Rogozin said.

“We too will have to proceed from the view that in order to be respected we must use brute force, in other words, armed force,” the envoy said. Mr. Rogozin suggested that Kosovo had bought its independence with drug-trafficking money.

“The drug mafia in Kosovohas been working to bring about political decisions in favour of Kosovo’s independence,” the envoy said.

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