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Iran, Russia agree on Kosovo as Islamic states plan meeting

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, April 22, 1999

MOSCOW [MENL] -- Iran and Russia said they agree that NATO should end its offensive against Yugoslavia and Belgrade should ensure the return of Kosovo refugees.

The Tuesday meeting between the foreign ministers of Iran and Russia came as Teheran prepares to convene a meeting of the Organization of Islamic States to discuss the Kosovo crisis.

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Igov Ivanon focused on efforts to "reach an understanding on how Islamic states could cooperate with Russia in order to reach just peace in that region."

"We agreed that the UN Security Council has failed to comply with its responsibility and we stressed the need for the Security Council to play its role in this situation," Kharazi said at a news conference. "We said that any peace plan should be supported by consensus and approved by the Security Council. It should call for a withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from Kosovo, an end to all hostilities, a deployment of international peacekeeping troops in Kosovo, a safe return of refugees and self-determination for Kosovo."

For his part, Ivanov said Russia agreed to international peacekeeping troops around Kosovo. But he stressed that the NATO offensive must end immediately and all refugees must be allowed to return to their homes in Kosovo.

"The main thing on which we were at one is that there can be no military solution to the problem," Ivanov said. "The Kosovo conflict, like other conflicts, should be resolved by peaceful political means."

Kharazi is scheduled to hold talks in Rome on Wednesday with Italian leaders as part of his diplomatic efforts to stop the NATO offensive. The OIC summit is scheduled for next month.

Thursday, April 22, 1999


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