China expressed grave concern over Kosovo's unilateral
declaration of independence, said Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Liu Jianchao on Monday.
"Kosovo's unilateral act can produce a series of results that
will lead to seriously negative influence on peace and stability in
the Balkan region and on the realization of building a multi-ethnic
society in Kosovo, which China is deeply concerned about," said
Liu.
He said the settlement of the Kosovo issue concerns the peace
and stability in the Balkan region, the basic norms governing
international relations and the authority and role of the United
Nations Security Council.
He added that China has always held that the best way to resolve
the Kosovo issue is that Serbia and Kosovo reach a plan acceptable
for both sides through negotiation.
"China calls on the two sides of Serbia and Kosovo to continue
to seek a proper solution through negotiation within the framework
of international law, and the international community should create
favorable conditions for this," said Liu.
Kosovo's parliament voted Sunday to adopt a declaration of
independence at an extraordinary session on its independence from
Serbia.
Kosovo now is "an independent, sovereign and democratic state,"
Parliament Speaker Jakup Krasniqi announced after lawmakers voted
109-0 through a show of hands to approve the declaration.
But Serbian President Boris Tadic said that Serbia will never
recognize the independence of Kosovo.
He urged international organizations "to immediately annul this
act, which violates the basic principles of international law."
Kosovo was a southern autonomous province within Serbia before
the breakup of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Among its
population of 2 million, over 90 percent are ethnic Albanians and
Serbs make up about 7 percent.
Kosovo has been under UN administration since mid-1999, after
NATO air-strikes drove out Serbian forces from the province.
(Xinhua News Agency February 18, 2008)
