News

Churkin calls Kosovo 'gray zone' in center of Europe used by radical Islamists

UN (New York), August 26, Interfax - Instability in Kosovo enables radical Islamists to use its territory as a transit hub for recruitment and training of militants, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said on Thursday.

"Given the weakness of law enforcement agencies and the security system in general, this territory is a 'gray zone' in the center of Europe which is being used as a safe harbor and a transit hub not only by the mob but also by radical Islamists. This enables extremist groups to use this territory for recruitment and training of militants," he said at a meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to the Kosovo settlement process.

Kosovo ranks amongst the top three European territories in terms of the number of ISIL (banned in Russia) fighters per capita, Churkin said. "If any measures are being taken to contain this, they are obviously insufficient," the diplomat said.

He also called attention of UN Security Council members to the remaining low levels of security of Serbs in Kosovo. "This leads to the ongoing attacks of Kosovars, including by use of 'Molotov cocktail', against them," the envoy said.

Churkin gave an example of late June incidents, which happened during celebrations of a historical date memorable for the Serbs, the Battle of Kosovo.

"Not just tourists and pilgrims but also journalists and refugees and internally displaced persons who dare to return to their home country regularly encounter aggression. All that is happening with the practically complete connivance of the authorities," the diplomat said.

Russia is concerned about the future of Serb religious, cultural and historical sites in Kosovo, he said.

"Functions of their protection were taken away from relevant international presences and transferred to the Kosovo police but that did not resolve the problem of their security and conservancy. There is a need for weightier legal and other guarantees to be included in the list of Pristna's commitments," Churkin said.

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• All Russian Orthodox Church parishes in Southeast Asia to pray for riddance of coronavirus 19 February 2020, 18:41
• Court arrests Moscow church attacker 18 February 2020, 19:27
• Investigators file for arrest of suspected assailant of Moscow churchgoers 18 February 2020, 12:18
• Man who attacked people in Moscow church says didn't plan crime, 'got up on wrong side of bed' 17 February 2020, 22:06
• Four members of banned pseudo-religious group convicted in Orenburg Region 17 February 2020, 18:38
• Georgian Church decides not to take part in pan-Orthodox meeting in Jordan 17 February 2020, 18:33
• Romanian Church to agree with granting of tomos to Orthodox Church in Ukraine, provided that Constantinople and Moscow reach consensus - media (updated) 14 February 2020, 21:11
• Karekin II grateful to Syria for recognizing Armenian genocide 14 February 2020, 18:08
• Pan-Orthodox meeting on 'Ukrainian issue' to be held in Amman on Feb 26 (updated) 14 February 2020, 15:08
• No same-sex marriage to be legitimized in Russia as long as I am president - Putin (updated) 13 February 2020, 17:31
• Orthodox leaders to discuss 'Ukrainian issue' in Amman in late Feb (updated) 12 February 2020, 21:28
• CPRF doesn't mind mentioning God in Russian constitution 11 February 2020, 18:30
• Criminal case opened in Transbaikal Territory after searches of residences of suspected Jehovah's Witnesses 10 February 2020, 19:57
• A woman could head the Russian Church synodal department 10 February 2020, 12:34
• Russian Church proposes to designate the special role of Russians in Constitution 10 February 2020, 12:15
• Zelensky invites Pope to visit Ukraine 10 February 2020, 11:58
• Zelensky asks Pope to help with release of Ukrainians in custody in Russia, Donbass 10 February 2020, 11:55
• Alexander Metochion in Jerusalem working as usual, has no info on property handover 05 February 2020, 21:25
• Yakut shaman complains to ECHR 05 February 2020, 18:09
• OCU terminates Filaret's membership in Holy Synod 05 February 2020, 12:27
• Russian Orthodox Church could discontinue practice of blessing WMDs 04 February 2020, 21:05
• Enshrining 'traditional marriage' in constitution at bottom of working group's agenda 04 February 2020, 19:14
• Krasheninnikov against enshrining family, God in constitution 04 February 2020, 18:58
• Pompeo praises Uzbekistan for progress in upholding religious freedom 03 February 2020, 19:17
• Marriage, not family should be defined as union between man and woman in Russian Constitution - Russian Orthodox Church 03 February 2020, 18:04
• Working group to discuss appropriateness of mentioning God in Constitution – Kremlin 03 February 2020, 13:57
• Patriarch Kirill proposes mentioning God in Constitution 02 February 2020, 19:02
• Orthodox society active at Alexander Metochion in Jerusalem still has no info on property transfer to Russia 31 January 2020, 15:14
• Activities of Jehovah's Witnesses stopped in Komi 31 January 2020, 15:11
• Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia doing important work preserving truth about war - Putin 29 January 2020, 14:08

Other news