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UNITED NATIONS, August 13 (Itar-Tass) - The task of ensuring equal safety to all ethnic groups in Kosovo calls for an accelerated disarmament of the Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army /KLA/ and the deployment of Serb police forces in the province, according to Russian deputy ambassador to the United Nations Gennady Gatilov.
"It is extremely actual to ensure equal safety to all the ethnic groups in Kosovo in order to stop the continuing mass exodus of the non-Albanian population", he told Tass on Thursday and regretted that KFOR cannot fully cope with the task.
"The KFOR actions are clearly insufficient and the large-scale ethnic cleansing carried out by Kosovo Albanians meets no serious counteraction", Gatilov said and called for an urgent deployment of the UN mission for the interim administration in Kosovo.
He recalled that the KLA disarmament was envisaged by the UN Security Council resolution 1244. "Russia is completely dissatisfied by the pace and scope of the process. The KLA is actually working to preseve itself as a military organisation for de-facto seizure of power in Kosovo which is a rude violation of the resolution", Gatilov said urging KFOR to be more resolute in disarmaing the KLA and even using force when necessary.
"Otherwise the whole peacekeeping operation will be jeopardised", he stressed.
He also said it was necessary to "unconditionally observe the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yugoslavia" and to ensure a return of Serb military and police forces to the province as is envisaged by the UN resolution.
"It is necessary to launch constructive cooperation with the Yugoslav and Serb authorities. The return of the limited contingent of Yugoslav military and police forces to Kosovo should be ensured without artificial delays. The Yugoslavs have, in particular, to participate in immigration and customs control on the border with Albania and Macedonia", Gatilov said.