NATO invites Kosovo and Serbia to refrain from steps that increase tensions

2023-10-12 17:21:36, Kosova & Bota CNA

NATO invites Kosovo and Serbia to refrain from steps that increase tensions

Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg

The Ministers of Defense of the NATO member countries have expressed concern about the increase in tensions in Kosovo and have invited Kosovo and Serbia to resolve their disagreements through dialogue and political means.

This message was given on Thursday at NATO headquarters after the meeting of the Defense Ministers of the Western military alliance.

On September 24, the Kosovo police were attacked by an armed group of Serbs, who killed Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku. During the clashes, authorities said three attackers were also killed.

Kosovo describes this attack as terrorist and blames Serbia for it. Belgrade denies having a hand in the events that took place in the village of Banjské in Zveçan, a municipality in the north of Kosovo, inhabited by a majority of Serbs.

Because of this attack, the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, announced the increase in the number of members of the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, but also the increase in patrols in the north.

He said that Kosovo was one of the key topics in the meeting of Defense Ministers.

"This was one of the main topics and issues that were discussed today by the ministers. It has been a difficult and tense situation and we have followed it very carefully. We have increased our presence, especially in the north", said Stoltenberg.

The head of NATO said that Kosovo and Serbia should return to the dialogue mediated by the European Union, adding that the alliance coordinates actions on the ground with the bloc.

"The main message is that Prishtina, but also Belgrade, should refrain from actions that could further escalate the situation and increase tensions, refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and engage in dialogue facilitated by the EU. One of the important messages today was that NATO and the EU work together. NATO's military presence, an increased military presence, supports the EU's diplomatic and political efforts. We also had the EU at today's meeting and it is good to see that we can cooperate on difficult issues such as Kosovo and the Western Balkans" , said Stoltenberg.

Pas takimit të ministrave të Mbrojtjes, Stoltenberg po ashtu tha se aleanca do të vazhdojë të zbatojë mandatin në Kosovë në mënyrë të paanshme, ashtu siç parashihet në mandatin që ka nga Kombet e Bashkuara.

Për të shtyrë përpara dialogun e BE-së dhe Marrëveshjen drejt normalizimit – që është arritur më herët gjatë vitit – përfaqësues të BE-së, Shteteve të Bashkuara, Gjermanisë, Francës dhe Italisë do të vizitojnë javën e ardhshme Kosovën dhe Serbinë./ REL