Konstantin Dolgov, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, has said that 12 years following the passing of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and the establishment of the interim administration in Kosovo, the human rights situation in the province is still extremely difficult.

He also said Russia supports Serbia's initiative for a UN-led investigation into human organ trafficking in Kosovo.

There are still major problems, starting from insufficient safety and security of national minorities, above all Serbs, but also Roma and others. We still have over 200,000 internally displaced people from Kosovo in Serbia, which is a great humanitarian challenge. And all this is happening in the 21st century in the heart of Europe, Dolgov told Tanjug at the end of his three-day visit to Serbia.

The Russian official came to Serbia to get firsthand information on the human rights situation in Serbia, Kosovo in particular.

In Belgrade, he met with Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, representatives of the Ministry for Kosovo and the Ministry for Regional Dvelopment, Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Patriarch Irinej, representatives of the SPC and the associations of families of missing and kidnapped persons in Kosovo, as well as the head of the OSCE Mission.

In Kosovo, Dolgov met with the leaders of UNMIK, EULEX, KFOR and OSCE, and representatives of Kosovo Serbs, and visited the Gracanica monastery.

In these meetings, there was discussion of safety of minorities, property stolen from Kosovo Serbs who fled from violence, and the protection of religious structures, he said. I again told the international representatives that in line with the mandate given to them by the UN Security Council, they need to work for the benefit of all peoples in Kosovo, not just Kosovo Albanians, but Serbs, Roma and others too, pointed out the Russian official.

With Serb and international officials in Kosovo, Dolgov also talked about the problem of organ trafficking, pointed out by Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty.

We believe the investigation must be conducted in the most professional, thorough and impartial manner, because Dick Marty's report contains shocking information, he said.

According to him, EULEX has started an investigation, set aside certain funds, investigators and prosecutors, but this is not enough.

The process is slow, and an additional problem is that there is no witness protection in Kosovo, a fact confirmed to me by representatives of the international community, Dolgov said.

Moreover, EULEX only has jurisdiction inside Kosovo, but the investigation must encompass some other countries, he explained.

This is why Russia supports Serbia's initiative to pass a Security Council resolution calling for an investigation and establishing mechanisms under the auspices of the UN, he said.