KFOR pledges to secure peace

The KFOR commander said Friday that he does not expect the status of Kosovo to be resolved in 2007. “NATO has been engaged in prudent planning ... for post-December 10, but we don't want to speculate on the outcome,” French General Xavier Bout de Marnhac, who took over the command over KFOR on August 31, told a news conference on Friday. KFOR pledges to secure peace “Everybody in Kosovo was speaking in February 2006 about independence by July. Today we are in 2007 and still with a big question mark ahead of us,” de Marnhac said. “December 10 is a day everybody is expecting. It may be a critical day, and it may not be,” he added, refusing to reveal details of KFOR's preparations for the date and appealing for calm and peace. “I don't expect people will be interested in destruction. I need the strong support from the people to help us maintain peace,” Marnhac said. He stressed that “KFOR is today more prepared than ever to respond to any threat.” “We want to maintain peace with determination,” the general concluded. Lt. Gen. Marnhac (EPA/Tanjug, archive) Minister: Serbia will not send troops to Kosovo Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac (DS) reiterated today the Serbian Army will not wage any wars in Kosovo. “Our military will instead follow the state policy according to which the Kosovo issue will be settled in a peaceful manner, employing diplomatic means,” Sutanovac said in an interview published Saturday in the daily Blic. “I am convinced that Kosovo is not s military issue and that it cannot be solved by employing the army,” stressed the defense minister. Sutanovac reminded that the president is the one vested with authority to pass orders deployment of the Army. “However, I never attended a meeting where this issue has been discussed or even considered,” he said.

KFOR pledges to secure peace

“Everybody in Kosovo was speaking in February 2006 about independence by July. Today we are in 2007 and still with a big question mark ahead of us,” de Marnhac said.

“December 10 is a day everybody is expecting. It may be a critical day, and it may not be,” he added, refusing to reveal details of KFOR's preparations for the date and appealing for calm and peace.

“I don't expect people will be interested in destruction. I need the strong support from the people to help us maintain peace,” Marnhac said.

He stressed that “KFOR is today more prepared than ever to respond to any threat.”

“We want to maintain peace with determination,” the general concluded.

Minister: Serbia will not send troops to Kosovo

Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac (DS) reiterated today the Serbian Army will not wage any wars in Kosovo.

“Our military will instead follow the state policy according to which the Kosovo issue will be settled in a peaceful manner, employing diplomatic means,” Šutanovac said in an interview published Saturday in the daily Blic.

“I am convinced that Kosovo is not s military issue and that it cannot be solved by employing the army,” stressed the defense minister.

Šutanovac reminded that the president is the one vested with authority to pass orders deployment of the Army.

“However, I never attended a meeting where this issue has been discussed or even considered,” he said.