By DPA
Moscow : Russia has welcomed as "logical" the decision at the United Nations (UN) in New York to refer the Kosovo independence issue to a six-nation contact group.
"This is a logical consequence of our active policy. We want to lay the foundations for a continuation of the dialogue with the aim of reaching an agreement between Pristina and Belgrade," a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said late Friday, according to Interfax.
The statement came soon after the announcement in New York that in view of a threat of a Russian veto, supporters of a UN plan to grant independence to the Serb province of Kosovo ended their bid in the Security Council, Friday.
European Union foreign ministers will pick up the issue in Brussels Monday and the Contact Group – composed of the US, Britain, Russia, France, Italy and Germany – will meet in Vienna on Wednesday for the same purpose.
The Contact Group issued a statement at UN headquarters following a closed-door session of the 15-nation council, saying it was decided to seek a non-UN solution for Kosovo. Russia has no veto power in the new forum.