The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague allowed Pristina to join by ignoring the arguments of those who do not recognize Kosovo’s independence.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said this on Tuesday in Moscow, replying to reporters' questions.

At the 195th PCA Administrative Council session in the Hague on June 13, advocates for Kosovo’s independence pulled this self-proclaimed state into their ranks, using their numerical advantage, she said, according to the Russian MFA website, and added: "It seems that the outcome of the voting on this issue was predetermined before it began and that the whole process was a well-orchestrated effort."

"The leadership of the Administrative Council reacted only to those statements that were aimed at Pristina’s admission to the PCA, and ignored the arguments of those who do not recognize Kosovo’s independence (including Serbia, Argentina, Brazil, India, Spain and Nicaragua, to name a few). They neglected Article 94 of the 1907 Hague Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, which clearly requires that the participating states reach consensus on the issue of membership. Indicatively, general criteria for admission to the PCA were not discussed at all," Zakharova said.

"We stress that the results of the voting do not change our attitude to the recognition of Kosovo’s 'statehood.' We consider Kosovo to be part of Serbia, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1244. It is unlikely that Kosovo will make a full-fledged contribution to cooperation within the PCA. Obviously, Kosovo’s pushing into the PCA is part of the broader task of its inclusion in other international agencies. Such actions are not only illegal, they also ignore the attitude of Belgrade, which the West calls a partner, including on such issues as dialogue with Pristina," the Russian MFA spokesperson noted in her reply.

The PCA made its decision on June 13, TASS agency reported, noting that the court is an intergovernmental organization with 117 member-countries.

Kosovo's Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj at the time posted on Facebook that Kosovo had become the 121st member of the PCA.

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