Medvedev charges US with indifference to "instability" in Kosovo

Feb 27, 2008, 13:06 GMT

Moscow - Russian presidential frontrunner Dmitry Medvedev accused the United States of being impervious to the 'instability' sparked by its recognition of Kosovo's independence, news agency Interfax reported Wednesday.

'Americans are not taking any risk, America is far away, but, here, in Europe a hotbed of instability is being created,' First Deputy Prime Minister Medvedev said on a campaign visit to the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod.

Recognition of Kosovo's independence from across the Atlantic lights 'a spark there that is enough to set the whole of Europe on fire ... spreading over Russia,' Medvedev said.

Russia has been unrelenting in its stand against Kosovo's independence from Serbia, warning that recognising the province will start a domino effect of separatist outcry across Europe.

Medvedev, a lawyer by training who is perceived as more soft-spoken and compromising than his mentor President Vladimir Putin, stuck close to the Kremlin line with strong rhetoric in the last week before his likely victory at polls on Sunday.

On a visit to Belgrade last week, he said Western states 'jeopardized security and stability in the whole region.'