February 22, 2008 (LPAC)--Tensions escalated in Belgrade, yesterday with tens of thousands of Serbs gathering in the capital to protest against Kosovo's independence. A group of about 300 activists broke into United States and Croatian embassies, and also attacked British, German and other embassies, in protest against these countries' support for Kosovo's secession. Part of the (vacant) US embassy was set on fire, and a dead body, not belonging to the embassy staff, was found inside after the protest. Protests also took place in the Serbian part of Bosnia, where thousands took to the streets of Banja Luka. Violence also broke out on the Kosovan border on Thursday, with hundreds of Serbs getting into fights with Czech soldiers deployed by the International KFOR mission.

Voicing concern over these developments, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Moscow that "talks on Kosovo's status should be restarted," and warned that the unilateral declaration could have consequences which "could harm Russia's relations with the EU and the USA." He said the Kosovo issue has prevented the international community from dealing with other outstanding problems.

Another senior politician of Russia, Sergei Mironov, the speaker of the Russian Federation Council, dismissed accusations by some Western politicians that Russia tacitly encouraged the recent riots in Serbia and denounced the violence. "Russia has never instigated and is not going to instigate anyone. Moreover, I believe that there is no need to set anything on fire. Generally, when people start pogroms with good intentions, that is not what is needed. What is needed is a balanced, clear and very calm position," Mironov told reporters in Barnaul (Russia).

"When the administration of Serbia says it will never recognize Kosovo's independence and will never recognize the jurisdiction of Kosovo as an independent state, it is one thing, and they have state leverage to realize this decision. And when such protests and riots begin, they just let themselves down. The whole world will look at that and say `Look what they have done.' They are doing everything wrong. Russia, of course, has nothing to do with it," said Mironov.