STROYEV: SITUATION IN THE BALKANS IS DANGEROUS








MOSCOW, March 13, 2001. /From RIA Novosti correspondent Nikolai Venediktov/. We must prevent the Balkan flare-up from exploding, said Speaker Yegor Stroyev of Russia's Federation Council /upper parliamentary house/ after a Moscow meeting with Speaker Sypros Kyprianou of the Cyprian House of Representatives.


	 According to Stroyev, this time the UN should not distance itself from settling the Balkan problem. Besides, the Council of Europe should be active here as well.


	The Russian parliamentary speaker expressed confidence that the current developments on the Macedonian border result from "the insanity which was manifested in Kosovo." In his words, it was clear yet during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia that the problem would go beyond the Kosovo crisis. The use of force as an attempted cure merely brought about escalation of the conflict in the Balkans, said Yegor Stroyev.