Vitaly Churkin, Russia’s UN Ambassador said yesterday that Moscow expects the UN mission in Kosovo to remain neutral regarding the May elections in Serbia.

Addressing the journalists at UN headquarters, Churkin said, “Since the UN from the start decided to adopt a neutral position, and not to take sides over the Kosovo independence declaration, it should be consistent and not interfere in matters that could affect the issue of status.”

Churkin’s statement came in response to the question concerning the possibility that UNMIK would not allow Serbian elections to be held in northern Kosovo. The Russia’s UN Ambassador rejected claims that Russia had threatened to bloc the re-election of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon over his position on Kosovo independence.

Churkin said, “There have been no threats, hidden nor direct. That is not the way Russia communicates with its foreign partners, including the UN secretary-general.”

Moscow had clearly stated its position to Ban that it was “not completely satisfied with his position on the issue of Kosovo,” said Churkin.

Churkin said, “We are not entirely satisfied with his position on Kosovo. Clearly many people are trying to exert pressure on him, and he has to take into consideration the positions of the different sides.”

According to Russia’s UN Ambassador, Ban’s position was that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 remained in force in the absence of any other decision, and that the UN mission in Kosovo would work according to that resolution.

Churkin said, “That position remains, and nobody can interfere with the operation of the UN mission in Kosovo. We’ve honestly explained to him and everyone else that we consider the unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence to be wrong. We also think that putting pressure on the Serbs, who oppose independence, is also unfair.”