Russia issues new warning over Kosovo independence

By Sam Cage

GENEVA (Reuters) - A unilateral declaration of independence by Serbia's Kosovo province would violate international law and damage security in Europe, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.

He said the United States and European countries did not understand the potential consequences of independence for Kosovo, whose Albanian leaders are expected to announce the move on Sunday in defiance of Serbia.

"It would undermine the basics of security in Europe, it would undermine the basics of the United Nations charter," Lavrov told reporters in Geneva.

He said Western countries were dealing with the problem in a "haphazard" way.

"Many of them, frankly, do not understand the risks and dangers and threats associated with a unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence," he said. "They do not understand that it would inevitably result in a chain reaction in many parts of the world, including Europe and elsewhere."

In New York, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin told reporters that Serbia was requesting a special meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday to discuss the issue of Kosovo.

"We are going to support it," Churkin said.

British and U.S. envoys said they knew nothing about the request. U.S. and EU officials have said they see no point in the council taking up Kosovo again since it has been hopelessly deadlocked on the issue for months. Russia opposes this view.