Victor Zavarzin, chairman of the State Duma defence committee, said this in Belgrade on Monday. He leads the Russian delegation at the sitting of subcommittee for Central and East Europe of the Russia-NATO Interparliamentary Assembly.
At this sitting, parliamentarians look for ways of settling Kosovo, transforming the armed forces of Serbia and Montenegro, adopting that country into the NATO Partnership for Peace programme, as well as establishing civil control of the army.
Victor Zavarzin called on NATO parliamentarians for "making a serious critical analysis of the fulfilment of the United Nations Security Council Kosovo resolution". He recalled that the resolution fixes the obligation of the military and civilian administration to disarm the Albanian paramilitary formations, ensures security for the population and protection for the historical monuments and shrines. The document also intends the return of the Serbian army and the police to Kosovo.
If the UN civilian mission and international peacekeeping force in Kosovo met the clauses of the resolution, the calamity would not have befallen Kosovo, Zavarzin is sure. "These international organisations have failed to follow their obligations", he summed up.
Zavarzin also said that he is against Belgrade being required to fully cooperate with The Hague Tribunal as a term for adoption in the Partnership for Peace programme. In the opinion of the Russian parliamentarian, this demand is "politically motivated".
At the same time, Zavarzin stressed that good relations have taken shape between Russian parliamentarians and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. They make it possible to openly and constructively discuss all the questions of concern to the parties involved.
