Serbian President Briefs Russian, Chinese Ambassadors On Another Kosovo Crisis - Statement

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd November, 2018) Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has informed the Russian and Chinese ambassadors to the country of Kosovo's authorities' decision to impose 100-percent duties on the Serbian imports and discussed with the diplomats the possible adverse effects of the step, the presidential press service said in a statement on Wednesday.

Earlier on Wednesday, Kosovo imposed 100-percent import duties on all products originating from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina under the pretext of the two countries' hostile approach toward the self-proclaimed republic.

"President Vucic informed [Russian Ambassador Alexander] Chepurin and [Chinese Ambassador] Li [Manchang] of Pristina's recent irresponsible decision to impose tariffs on Serbian goods and asked them to brief President [of Russia Vladimir] Putin and [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping] on it. President Vucic has also told ambassadors Chepurin and Li that Pristina's actions led to complete destabilization of the entire region and might result in further escalation of the conflict," the statement said.

According to the statement, the two ambassadors, in turn, expressed support for Serbia's efforts to resolve the situation with peaceful means and agreed to maintain daily contact with Belgrade over the current crisis.

The Kosovo War of 1998-1999 between the ethnically Kosovar Albanian forces and the former Yugoslavia, then consisting of Serbia and Montenegro, ended after the UN-backed international intervention following NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia's forces.

In 2008, Kosovo unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia. Even though over 100 UN member states have officially recognized Kosovo, Serbia, alongside Russia, China, Israel and several other countries, have not recognized the move.