BOTSAN-KHARCHENKO: RELEASE IGOR POPOVIĆ IMMEDIATELY AND UNCONDITIONALLY

BELGRADE, JULY 24 /SRNA/ - The Russian Ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, stated today that Russia demands the immediate and unconditional release of Igor Popović, the Assistant Director of the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija, as well as a return to dialogue. He also noted that the silence of the Western sponsors of the Brussels Agreement indicates their support for the lawlessness perpetrated by Priština.

“We are deeply concerned about the latest developments regarding the unscrupulous actions of the provisional self-government institutions in Priština, which arrested the Assistant Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Igor Popović. It is clear to anyone even slightly familiar with the events in the province during 1998-1999 that this step is politically motivated,” the Russian ambassador emphasized. He emphasized that this is part of a broader campaign to intimidate the Serbian population in Kosovo and Metohija and to drive them from their ancestral homes. He warned that the continuation of this process will inevitably lead to dangerous consequences, for which responsibility will lie not only with the "authorities" of the self-proclaimed Kosovo, but also with those who knowingly encourage the violence perpetrated by Priština. Such a situation is completely unacceptable and runs counter to the position of the international community, as expressed in relevant UN Security Council resolutions concerning the resolution of the Kosovo issue, as well as the existing agreements reached with the participation of the EU, the Embassy of the Russian Federation stated in a press release. "We call on the international community to take a clear and constructive position in support of the prompt normalization of the situation in the Serbian province. We demand a return to dialogue based on mutual respect and within the agreed formats," Botsan-Kharchenko stated. The Russian ambassador concluded that Russia, as a consistent and responsible participant in multilateral processes in the Balkans and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, will continue to provide all possible assistance in resolving the Kosovo issue based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244, with the goal of ensuring lasting peace and stability in the region. The Priština authorities arrested Popović on July 19 at the Brnjak crossing and ordered him held in custody for one month. He is accused of having referred to members of the KLA as terrorists during his speech at a memorial service for Serbs killed in Orahovac. The KLA carried out a terrorist attack on Orahovac and the surrounding area in July 1998.