More countries gave mixed responses on Tuesday to Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence on Sunday.
Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have discussed the Kosovo issue over the phone, with Lavrov saying Russia will not accept Pristina's unilateral declaration of independence.
"We confirmed our principal position that Pristina's unilateral actions to declare the independence of the region are unacceptable," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued Tuesday, commenting on the Monday conversation.
Moscow warned the danger of such a move, saying it could undermine the foundation of global peace and stability that has been built over decades.
Serbian Ambassador to Russia Stanimir Vukicevic on Tuesday urged the United Nations Security Council to take action over the issue.
"This issue is under the full competence of the UN Security Council, and it is simply impossible to imagine that this body was incapable of making a decision on an issue which influences global security," he told a press conference in Moscow.
Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov also said Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence will undermine international law, the RIA news agency reported on Tuesday.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said that Ukraine will work out its position on Kosovo's action after consulting with the EU, Russia and the United States.
"Ukraine will continue holding bilateral consultations on the issue of Kosovo's independence. I have instructed the Foreign Ministry to hold consultations with the European Union, Russia and the United States and our other key strategic partners," Yushchenko told reporters in the city of Dnipropetrovsk in eastern Ukraine, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
"The formula of resolving the issue of Kosovo's status cannot be a precedent for other countries," he stressed, adding that the UN Security Council's and the OSCE's (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) position is very important for Ukraine.
The Philippine government on Tuesday called for continued dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo following the latter's controversial declaration of independence.
"While the Philippines does not oppose the idea of the independence of Kosovo, it would prefer a settlement of the issue as embodied within both parties' obligation under (the United Nations) Security Council Resolution 1244, taking into account the internationally accepted principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity," Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said in a statement.
UN Security Council Resolution 1244 placed Kosovo under interim UN administration in 1999. The resolution allowed an international civil and military presence in Kosovo, a Serbian province.
Romulo said that the lasting solution on the issue of independence should be based on "a negotiated solution mutually acceptable to all parties."
"Considering the existing sensibilities in the region, continued dialogue should be encouraged among all the parties concerned to ensure regional stability," the foreign secretary added.
The Australian government formally recognized Kosovo as an independent state on Tuesday and said it was ready to establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith also urged Kosovo and Serbia to settle their differences peacefully.
Senegal has also decided to "recognize the new state," a government statement said on Tuesday.
Kosovo, the ethnic Albanian-dominated province, unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia on Feb. 17.
Source: Xinhua
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