Permanent Representative of Russia to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich said Russia expects Albania, when it takes over the Chairmanship of OSCE to have a neutral stance on the process of resolving the Kosovo issue, Vecernje Novosti reported.

He also told members of the OSCE Permanent Council that the situation in Kosovo remains a serious challenge to European security. According to him Kosovo is “a grey zone” for smuggling drugs and organized crime.

Lukashevich also noted the UN SC 1244 still represents a basis for regulating the Kosovo issue.

“We start from the point that Albania, as Chair, would approach this issue exclusively from a status neutral position. Anything else would be moving away from the authorization,” he said.

Albania is set to take over Chairmanship of OSCE next year from Slovakia.