United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (front center) speaks on Kosovo's declaration of independence at an emergency conference of the UN Security Council on Monday, February 18, 2008. The UN Security Council continued to negotiate on Kosovo's declaration of independence on Monday. [Photo: Xinhua]

The United Nations Security Council on Monday held an emergency session on the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo, but council members remain split on Pristina's unilateral move.

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin condemned the Feb. 17 declaration of independence by Kosovo's local assembly as "a blatant breach of the norms and principles of international law... which undermines the foundations of the international relations system."

"The situation developing as a result of the illegal steps of the province's leadership poses a threat to peace and security in the Balkans," Churkin told the session, which was attended by Serbian President Boris Tadic.

Churkin expressed firm support for Serbia's demand that the UN secretary-general's representative and head of the UN mission in Kosovo declare the province's unilateral declaration of independence null and void.

"The illegal acts of the Kosovo Albanian leadership and of those who support them set a dangerous precedent," Churkin said. "They are fraught with an escalation of tension and inter-ethnic violence in the province, destructive consequences for international relations that took decades to build."

South Africa's UN Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo stressed that Kosovo's unilateral move "presents the international community with a serious challenge."

He expressed the regret that Kosovo's step "was not taken in conformity with a legal and political process envisaged by Security Council Resolution 1244," noting that "there remains space for dialogue and negotiation that could help contribute to the long-term peace in the Balkans."

China and Indonesia expressed concern over Kosovo's unilateral move, urging continued efforts toward a mutually acceptable agreement through dialogue and negotiation.

Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Wang Guangya warned that Kosovo's unilateral action may "rekindle conflicts and turbulence in the region, which in turn would cause serious humanitarian crisis and adversely impact the entire Balkan region and beyond."

"China is deeply concerned over this," Wang said.

Wang stressed that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 remains the political and legal basis for the settlement of the Kosovo issue, and that before the adoption of any new resolution by the Security Council, "all efforts and actions for the settlement of this issue should conform to the relevant provisions of Resolution 1244."