Deputy Speaker of the State Duma from the Yabloko faction Vladimir Lukin thinks that from the viewpoint of the UN Charter the legitimacy of NATO’s operation in Macedonia is “doubtful”.

Lukin noted that foreign troops could be brought into the country only on invitation by its government and only for self-defence.

“Against whom do they have self-defence in this case?! Against their own citizens? Against Kosovo, and consequently, Yugoslavia? Something is wrong here,” Lukin said in an interview with the Ekho Moskvi radio station on Monday August 27, 2001.

According to Lukin, the second variant of legitimacy of the invasion of foreign troops in foreign state concerns the performance of peace-making operations there, which requires the sanction of the UN Security Council. “In this case no such sanction was given,” added Lukin.

Asked what Russia should do in such a situation, Lukin noted, “We should clearly state why we cannot be satisfied with such a peace-making operation, and also state our readiness to support an operation which will install peace there.” “Sooner or later such an operation will be required in Macedonia,” noted the Deputy Speaker. According to Lukin, such an operation would mean that a large contingent, and not the 3,500-4,000 people involved now, would be brought there.

In addition, within the framework of a real peace-making operation, noted Lukin, “real disarmament in Kosovo and in part of Macedonia should take place.” This disarmament should take into account “who fights against the lawful government, rather than be based on a purely ethnic principle”.

At this point, according to Lukin, “a provisional administration should be created in the operation area and provisional control [of international forces] should be set there, followed by serious and honest elections.”

Vladimir Lukin also stressed that such an operation “should be approved by the UN, and Russia should also participate.”

Based on Interfax reports.