"Both Moscow and Belgrade regard with full understanding the EU desire to play a more impressive role in Kosovo's affairs, but these desires should be implemented not unilaterally, but on the basis of Resolution 1244 with respect for the prerogative of the UN Security Council," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted the top diplomat as saying.
"We are convinced that a long-term solution to the problem can be found only with the agreement of the sides themselves," the minister said. "The Russian proposal on the need to resume a direct negotiating process between Belgrade and Pristina (the largest city in Kosovo) preserves its topicality."
Lavrov also said that Russia would support Serbia's address to the UN General Assembly so as to request an opinion of the International Court on what was going on in Kosovo.
Jeremic, for his part, said no changes in the Serb position on Kosovo should be expected over the coming four years. "Our aim is clear: the establishment of stability in the region," he said.
In a report to the UN Security Council in June, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he planned to give more authority to the EU over police, courts and other official duties in Kosovo.
However, Serbia refused to adopt the plan, saying only the UN Security Council could make changes to the UN mission, which was established after the end of the war in Kosovo in 1999.
Kosovo, a Serbian province dominated by ethnic Albanians, unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February and has won recognition from 43 countries. Serbia and Kosovo Serbs have rejected its independence as illegal under international law.
