Cologne, 8 June 1999 (RFE/RL) - Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven industrialized nations plus Russia announced today that they have agreed on the text of a United Nations Security Council resolution detailing plans for an international peace force in Kosovo. In Cologne, Germany, where the ministers met for a second day, U.S. State Department spokesman James Rubin told reporters that the text met all of NATO's objectives. Rubin confirmed that the resolution would establish a unified command and control system for the peacekeeping force, which is expected to include about 10,000 Russian troops as well as at least 40,000 NATO troops.
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said the resolution text has been worked out by all eight of the foreign ministers meeting in Cologne. He said Russia will certainly support that text at the Security Council.
But Ivanov also said that details on the command structure for Russian troops in the international peacekeeping force still must be resolved. Yesterday the talks stalled over Russia's objection to NATO's insistence that it lead the peace force.
Cook said it is too early to determine when the U.N. resolution would be voted upon. But he said the sooner Belgrade starts a withdrawal, the sooner peace will come to the Balkans.
The withdrawal is a key part of the international peace plan approved last week by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Under the plan, the Security Council must approve an international force and civilian administration that would be sent to Kosovo under UN auspices.
French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne Gazeau-Secret said the text was adopted due to an accord on the idea of "synchronization" proposed by Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine.
Vedrine had proposed that a verified Serb troop withdrawal, an end to NATO bombing and the passage of a UN resolution occur roughly at the same time.
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said the resolution text has been worked out by all eight of the foreign ministers meeting in Cologne. He said Russia will certainly support that text at the Security Council.
But Ivanov also said that details on the command structure for Russian troops in the international peacekeeping force still must be resolved. Yesterday the talks stalled over Russia's objection to NATO's insistence that it lead the peace force.
Cook said it is too early to determine when the U.N. resolution would be voted upon. But he said the sooner Belgrade starts a withdrawal, the sooner peace will come to the Balkans.
The withdrawal is a key part of the international peace plan approved last week by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Under the plan, the Security Council must approve an international force and civilian administration that would be sent to Kosovo under UN auspices.
French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne Gazeau-Secret said the text was adopted due to an accord on the idea of "synchronization" proposed by Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine.
Vedrine had proposed that a verified Serb troop withdrawal, an end to NATO bombing and the passage of a UN resolution occur roughly at the same time.