Russia takes revenge for Nato snub
By Christopher Lockwood, Diplomatic Editor
Russia wins race to Pristina
RUSSIA'S audacious move into Pristina will deeply complicate Nato's own
deployment into Kosovo later today, and comes as a stinging rebuke by
Moscow to the West, which has alienated the Russians by failing to give them
any significant role in the peacekeeping effort.
Although Nato has always insisted that Russia would be welcome to play its
part in KFOR, it has become clear over the past few days that Nato has
drawn up its plans for the Kosovo force with little regard for Russian
sensibilities.
The province was divided into five sectors, each to be run by one of Nato's
Big Five - the US, UK, France, Italy and Germany. There was no sector for
Russia, and no clear job to do. Russia was already infuriated by Nato's
bombing campaign, which it believed was illegal. Cutting Russia out of the
peace arrangements has been one insult too far.
Russia has made negotiations difficult by insisting that it wanted its troops to
serve independently of Nato, even though the UN resolution signed on
Thursday specifies that the peacekeeping force must have a unified command.
Though the Russian force involved, which earlier moved out from Bosnia via
Belgrade towards Kosovo, is tiny, it appears to be heading for Pristina
airport, where it will be able to press its case for a prominent Russian role in
Kosovo with much greater force. But Prime Minister Sergey Stepashin has
already said that Russia's armed forces are in no shape to supply even the
2,000 to 5,000 men for a Kosovo force earlier talked of, so it is unclear what
purpose deploying an advance guard of 200 can serve.
Russia's move will sow great bitterness between America and Russia and
between America and Britain. America will be furious at having been lied to.
Earlier yesterday, the Russians gave assurances to Madeleine Albright, US
Secretary of State, that they would not enter Kosovo. The assurances are
now seen to have been lies. Her deputy, Strobe Talbott, was in Moscow last
night to negotiate Russia's role in KFOR, and was apparently given the same
assurances by Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. However, it may well prove that
the Russian army has been acting without the authority of the government,
which would be the most frightening aspect of all.
Relations between Britain and America will also be plunged into rancour.
British troops would have been in Pristina - where they would have secured
the airport - before the Russians got there, had America played its proper
part and sent its share of ground troops to the region in time. Britain was
ready to go in anyway, but in a display of American pig-headedness that will
cause lasting damage, Gen Jackson was compelled to delay his advance for a
day yesterday to allow the Americans what they felt was their rightful share of
the glory.
telegraph.co.uk
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