Kosovo - Example for secessionists

Dragan Šutanovac says that a peaceful Kosovo status solution is vital for the region.

Izvor: B92

Tuesday, 23.10.2007.

09:45

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Dragan Sutanovac says that a peaceful Kosovo status solution is vital for the region. The defense minister said at a Council of South-East European Defense Ministers session that Serbia would take all the necessary steps to ensure that there would be no conflicts in the south of Serbia. Kosovo - Example for secessionists U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who also attended the session in Kiev, called on NATO member states to keep their KFOR soldiers in Kosovo after December 10, regardless of the outcome of discussions. He also said that NATO would have to complete their plans for the mission outlined by UN Kosovo envoy Martti Ahtisaari. “We are giving the Troika a chance, but we are realistic. Countries have to prepare for what will happen after December 10, when the Contact Group delivers its report on the future of Kosovo to the United Nations,” Gates said. After the meeting, Sutanovac said that recognizing Kosovo independence would cause a crisis in many countries where secessionist tensions existed. “I insisted that Serbia’s major interest and that of the region was that there should be no conflicts in Kosovo. At the same time, I insisted that Serbia do everything it can to stop conflicts in south Serbia and I have received reassurances that we will not have any problems, and that no one will sanction or blame us,” Sutanovac said. Even though Gates was expected to focus on increasing the presence of NATO troops in Afghanistan and the possibility of moving U.S. troops from Kosovo to Afghanistan, he decided to give his European allies more time. “I am not satisfied with the fact that an alliance numbering more than two million soldiers cannot find the resources to engage some of them in Afghanistan,” Gates said. The U.S. forces’ mandate in Kosovo has been extended to the summer of 2008, after which Washington will consider removing 1,600 troops from the KFOR contingent. Dragan Sutanovac (FoNet, archive)

Kosovo - Example for secessionists

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who also attended the session in Kiev, called on NATO member states to keep their KFOR soldiers in Kosovo after December 10, regardless of the outcome of discussions. He also said that NATO would have to complete their plans for the mission outlined by UN Kosovo envoy Martti Ahtisaari.

“We are giving the Troika a chance, but we are realistic. Countries have to prepare for what will happen after December 10, when the Contact Group delivers its report on the future of Kosovo to the United Nations,” Gates said.

After the meeting, Šutanovac said that recognizing Kosovo independence would cause a crisis in many countries where secessionist tensions existed.

“I insisted that Serbia’s major interest and that of the region was that there should be no conflicts in Kosovo. At the same time, I insisted that Serbia do everything it can to stop conflicts in south Serbia and I have received reassurances that we will not have any problems, and that no one will sanction or blame us,” Šutanovac said.

Even though Gates was expected to focus on increasing the presence of NATO troops in Afghanistan and the possibility of moving U.S. troops from Kosovo to Afghanistan, he decided to give his European allies more time.

“I am not satisfied with the fact that an alliance numbering more than two million soldiers cannot find the resources to engage some of them in Afghanistan,” Gates said.

The U.S. forces’ mandate in Kosovo has been extended to the summer of 2008, after which Washington will consider removing 1,600 troops from the KFOR contingent.

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