Switzerland questions military presence in Kosovo

The Swiss president says Swiss KFOR soldiers will leave, in case of a unilateral proclamation of independence. “Switzerland’s soldiers can take part in peacekeeping actions abroad only on the basis of UN or OSCE mandates,” Swiss media reported Samuel Schmid as saying on Tuesday. Switzerland questions military presence in Kosovo The Swiss contingent within KFOR, also known as Swisscoy, could thus remain in Kosovo even after the proclamation of independence, but only with an appropriate UN resolution in place. Switzerland, along with a dozen other states that are not members of NATO, has been a part of the international mission in Kosovo since 1999, with a maximum of 220 soldiers who, together with Austrian troops, make up the Manoeuvre Battalion Dulje. The issue of the future of the military presence in Kosovo has also been raised by German Defense Minister Franz Jozef Jung. Even though Jung did not directly address the matter during his visit to the province last week, he made it clear that German soldiers would leave Kosovo in case of any unilateral solutions. “Only a solution founded on an agreement under the umbrella of the United Nations is a basis for the international presence in Kosovo,” he said in Pristina last Friday. The Bundeswehr, the German contingent in Kosovo with 2,500 soldiers, is KFOR’s largest.

Switzerland questions military presence in Kosovo

The Swiss contingent within KFOR, also known as Swisscoy, could thus remain in Kosovo even after the proclamation of independence, but only with an appropriate UN resolution in place.

Switzerland, along with a dozen other states that are not members of NATO, has been a part of the international mission in Kosovo since 1999, with a maximum of 220 soldiers who, together with Austrian troops, make up the Manoeuvre Battalion Dulje.

The issue of the future of the military presence in Kosovo has also been raised by German Defense Minister Franz Jozef Jung.

Even though Jung did not directly address the matter during his visit to the province last week, he made it clear that German soldiers would leave Kosovo in case of any unilateral solutions.

“Only a solution founded on an agreement under the umbrella of the United Nations is a basis for the international presence in Kosovo,” he said in Priština last Friday.

The Bundeswehr, the German contingent in Kosovo with 2,500 soldiers, is KFOR’s largest.