Moscow Condemns Creation of Kosovo Army as 'Gross Violation of UN Resolution'

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The formation of the Kosovo army is fraught with the recurrence of an armed conflict in the region, the decision grossly violates the UN Security Council's resolution and aims to aggravate the situation in the Balkans, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday.

"In Pristina, on December 14, the 'parliament' decided to transform the Kosovo Security Force into a full-fledged Kosovo 'army'. This step was a gross violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, aimed at seriously aggravating the situation in the Balkans, fraught with a recurrence of an armed conflict in the region," the ministry said.

It said the EU's mediating role in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue had failed, adding that Moscow hoped international forces in Kosovo would take measures to disband so-called Kosovo 'army'.

Earlier on Friday, the parliament of the self-proclaimed republic of Kosovo passed a set of laws providing for the change of mandate of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) and its transformation into the republic's national army.

Commenting on the move, Serbian Ambassador to Russia Slavenko Terzic called it in his interview to Sputnik "a very serious and very dangerous blow to the stability and security of not only Serbia, but also the entire Balkan region".

READ MORE: Serbian Envoy Slams Kosovo's Army Creation: Blow to Stability of Entire Balkans

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008 and was recognized by over 100 UN member states. The move was not, however, recognized by Serbia and two permanent members of the UN Security Council — Russia and China. In 2011, Brussels launched several rounds of talks between Belgrade and Kosovo, bringing the parties to the negotiating table for the first time since Kosovo's secession. The 2013 agreement came as a result of the EU-mediated consultations.