Speaking to reporters after meeting his counterpart from Serbia and Montenegro Vuk Draskovic and Serbian President Boris Tadic, Lavrov said that Russia in principle supported Belgrade's "more than autonomy, less than independence" concept, noting that it was necessary for Belgrade to specify its proposals before receiving full Russian support.
Draskovic said that Serbia and Montenegro expected support from Russia for its "legitimate and realistic demands" to preserve the present international status of Serbia and Montenegro and its borders with Albania and Macedonia based on the European model of open borders.
Serbia and Montenegro also requested European guarantees for the protection of the Serbian and other non-Albanian populations in Kosovo.
"The Albanian people have the right to organise their life in the province on their own, but although in majority, they cannot have the right to terrorise and expel (Serbs), change the borders, and destroy (Serbian Orthodox) monasteries," Draskovic said.
Tadic and Lavrov agreed that it was necessary to find a compromising and realistic solution that would not threaten security in the region and Europe.
Tadic said that granting Kosovo independence would be "a legal precedent" that would destabilise Europe and the democratic potential of Serbia.