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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