LJUBLJANA, May 29. /TASS/. The aggravation of tensions in unrecognized Kosovo was provoked by those who wish to turn the Balkans into a ‘sanitary cordon’ against Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the media on Wednesday.

"As far as the events in Kosovska Mitrovica are concerned, such provocations play into the hands of those who wish to turn the Balkans into a ‘sanitary cordon’ against Russia," Lavrov told a news conference following talks with his Slovenian counterpart Miro Cerar.

Lavrov warned that for attaining this aim all countries of the region would have to be dragged into NATO.

"You’ve been able to see every resource employed to this end in settling the issue of Macedonia’s official name," he said. "As we can see now, Serbia is being forced into consent Kosovo’s independence will be formalized and this will pave the way for the accession of more West Balkans territories to NATO."

"All this is very sad. We discussed the situation in this region with my counterpart today," Lavrov said. "We saw that Slovenia, although it is a member of NATO and the European Union, does not support the idea of ‘sanitary cordons’," he said.

Lavrov added that Slovenia was for overcoming the existing obstacles, and not creating new division lines in Europe.