Albania’s Ambassador Stumped by Nebenzi’s Query on Kosovo Recognition

United Nations, March 18 – The permanent representative of Albania to the UN, Ferit Hoxha, tried to explain in the UN Security Council that the speeches of the representatives of Kosovo in the Security Council are legitimate, unlike the speeches of the representatives of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but he could not answer the question of Vasily Nebenzi, the permanent representative of the Russian Federation, On whether Kosovo is a territory recognized by the United Nations.

On Friday, Western countries did not allow the UN Security Council to hear the report of DRC Ombudsman Daria Morozova. As explained by the Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN Linda Thomas Genfield, if the Council allows Morozova to speak, then this indicates an attempt to “legitimize the illegitimate authorities of the DRC.”

In turn, Nebenzia accused the West of a “frivolous and unscrupulous game,” recalling that the Security Council regularly invites representatives of Kosovo to speak at meetings.

“What happened today with Daria Morozova is an occasion for us to think about how we will consider requests from colleagues for briefings in the future. Listening to speakers from unrecognized regions is unacceptable and constitutes a violation of decisions. But, for example, an invitation The Kosovo House of Representatives is a clear violation of Security Council Resolution 1244. We will take into account the principled position of our American colleagues on this issue,” Nebenzia said.

The words of the Russian envoy provoked a stormy reaction from his Albanian colleague Farid Hoxha.

According to him, the situation concerning the representatives of Kosovo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo “has nothing in common, and the comparison is completely artificial.”

“There is nothing in common between the so-called Democratic Republic of the Congo and the illegally annexed Kosovo. Do we need to remind our Russian colleagues that the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion stating that the Kosovo Declaration of Independence adopted in 2008 did not violate international law? Need a reminder? Russian colleagues that the international recognition of Kosovo is well known, including to many at this table, while the territories of the so-called DRC and the LPR, which were forcibly annexed, can only exist in Russian plans and dreams, ”he said.

In response, Nebenzia said that Moscow had no objections to the participation of Belgrade representatives in Security Council meetings. “But I will ask a question and maybe (the representative of Albania) will decide to answer here in this room. Tell me, is Kosovo recognized as a province recognized by the United Nations?” Nebenzia said.

The Permanent Representative of Albania did not respond to this question.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on March 11 that he would not support the Republic of Kosovo’s self-declared membership in the United Nations nor recognize its independence.

Referendums on the entry of the DRC, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions into the Russian Federation were held on September 23-27, 2022. According to the results of processing 100% of the votes in the DRC, 99.23% of those who voted for joining the Russian Federation, in the LPR – 98.42%, In the Kherson region – 87.05%, in the Zaporozhye region – 93.11%. On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke in the Kremlin after the results of referendums in the DRC, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, after which he signed agreements with their superiors on the admission of regions to Russia.