WASHINGTON - Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence sets a dangerous precedent for other separatist groups around the world such as Palestinians, Basques, and Northern Cypriots to bypass negotiations and set up their own states, a Kremlin spokesman said yesterday.
"We cannot agree that Kosovo is a distinct case," Dmitry Peskov said as the United States assured Serbia it wants to help integrate the Eastern European country into Western institutions and repair relations roiled by recognition of Kosovo's independence.
Kosovo's move is in conflict with regional stability and Russia will continue to disagree "out of our concern for the future of international relations," Peskov said at the Nixon Center, a Washington-based think tank.
At the same time, Peskov said Russia has no immediate plans to try to undo Kosovo's independence in the UN. "It is too complicated to act immediately," he said.
On the Kosovo border yesterday, NATO peacekeepers reopened two demolished checkpoints between Serbia and northern Kosovo as thousands of Serbs again protested Kosovo's independence.
For three days, Kosovo's Serbs have shown their anger over Sunday's declaration of independence by the ethnic Albanian leadership by destroying UN and NATO property, setting off small bombs, and staging rallies.
Chanting "We won't give up Kosovo," about 3,000 demonstrators marched to a bridge in the tense Serb stronghold of Kosovska Mitrovica. UN police sealed off the bridge and NATO helicopters hovered overhead.
Protesters expressed anger over the swift recognition of Kosovo's independence by world powers including the United States, France, Britain - and now Germany. Some carried the flag of Spain, one EU nation that has refused to recognize Kosovo for fear it will encourage its own pro-independence movements.
Kosovo has a predominantly Muslim population, and is considered by many Serbs to be a foundation of their country and its culture.
The Bush administration has consistently supported independence for Kosovo.
As evidence that other groups might take their cues from Kosovo, Peskov referred to a senior Palestinian official suggesting the Palestinians follow Kosovo's example and unilaterally declare statehood if peace talks with Israel fail.
"It is damaging to the Mideast peace process," the Kremlin spokesman said, referring to remarks by Yasser Abdel Rabbo, a Palestinian negotiator.
"Kosovo is not better than Palestine," Rabbo said. If the whole world has embraced Kosovo's independence "why shouldn't this happen with Palestine as well?"
The chief Palestinian negotiator, Ahmed Qurei, quashed the idea and said it was never discussed by Palestinian leadership.
Peskov, meanwhile, said "we hear cheers" from Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Turkey, and from the Basques, an independence-minded ethnic group in Spain.
Yesterday, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said his country would continue to negotiate with the EU.
