NATO discussed the situation in northern Kosovo with representatives of the United States and the European Union on Monday, as part of consultations to de-escalate tensions between Belgrade and Pristina following barricades and protests by Kosovo Serbs in the area in recent weeks.
Thus, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana met on Monday at NATO headquarters in Brussels with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar and EU Special Envoy for the Serbia-Kosovo Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak in the framework of regular consultations on the situation in Kosovo and developments in the Balkan region.
During the meeting at NATO headquarters, Geoana noted the «intensive efforts» of the allies to reduce tensions in northern Kosovo and stressed the key role played by both the NATO mission, KFOR, and the EU-led mission, EULEX, in dismantling roadblocks and ensuring freedom of movement on the territory of Kosovo.
«KFOR remains extremely vigilant and has the capacity and manpower to continue to fulfill the UN mandate fully and on a daily basis, for the benefit of all communities living in Kosovo. This contributes to security in Kosovo and stability throughout the region,» NATO said in a statement.
The Deputy Secretary General also expressed his support for the EU-facilitated dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo to advance the normalization of their neighborly relations, talks that saw their last chapter in November at the height of tensions over the tuition crisis.
The EU stresses the need to overcome the negative trend and seeks a more structured dialogue to leave behind the violence, roadblocks and ultimatums between Belgrade and Pristina, which do not help in continuing discussions to achieve normalization of relations between the two.
This Sunday, Serbia announced NATO’s refusal of Belgrade’s request last December to deploy the army and police in Kosovo in order, according to Serbian authorities, to protect the civilian population from the persecution to which it is being subjected by the Kosovar authorities.
The barricades were eventually removed last week in a respite from bilateral tensions, which have nevertheless reignited in recent hours after an individual shot and wounded two Kosovo Serbs in southern Kosovo on Friday night.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
