Lanka opposes Kosovo UDI

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka does not endorse the unilateral secession of Kosovo from the Republic of Serbia, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

“We note that the declaration of independence was made without the consent of the majority of the people of Serbia and is a violation of the Charter of the United Nations, which enshrines the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States,” the Ministry said.

“Moreover, UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of June 10, 1999 reaffirms commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States of the region. This action is particularly regrettable, since all efforts at reaching a negotiated political settlement on the future status of Kosovo, as envisaged by the Security Council Resolution 1244, have not been exhausted.”

The Ministry said the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) by Kosovo could set an unmanageable precedent in the conduct of international relations, the established global order of sovereign States and could thus pose a grave threat to international peace and security.