(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-02-19 07:16

According to the deputy director general of the Ministry of Public Security's international cooperation department, Guo Baoshan, 15 policemen and three policewomen from Sichuan province will be part of the mission.

Guo said China would send the peacekeeping police to fulfill its commitment to the UN despite the possible worsening of the situation in Kosovo. The last batch of the Chinese peacekeeping police in Kosovo completed its 15-month mission and flew back home last month.

The UN mission has been running Kosovo since the NATO bombing forced Serbian troops to pull out of the province in 1999. And China has been involved in the UN peacekeeping mission there since April 2004.

International response

The UN Security Council is divided over the unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence.

Related readings:  Kosovo PM calls for special session of parliament  Serbian president Tadic vows to preserve Kosovo  Russia: Kosovo independence will affect Georgian breakaway regions policy  UNSC urged to reject Kosovo independence Peacekeepers prepare for Kosovo mission EU urged not to send mission to Kosovo

Panama's ambassador to the UN Ricardo Arias, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the council this month, said the council was divided over the issue.

Some members consider it "an illegal act in contravention of resolution 1244", while others consider it "a legitimate act", Arias said.

Italy and Australia have also welcomed Kosovo's independence declaration despite fierce objections from Serbia and Russia.

Russia denounced Kosovo's move and warned that it could ignite a new conflict in the Balkans.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the country supports Serbia's "just demands to restore the country's territorial integrity".

It said nations backing Kosovo's claim were supporting separatism and would shake "the foundations of a world order that has developed over decades".

An emergency UN Security Council meeting called by Russia failed to agree on a plan for Kosovo and was unable to patch up differences between Moscow and the West.

China Daily-Agencies

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