Army chief on situation in Kosovo

Serbian Army (VS) Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Miloje Miletic has stated that he does not agree with KFOR’s decision to cut the number of troops. He told B92 that security situation in Kosovo was “relatively stable” but that there were risks. Army chief on situation in Kosovo “From current 8,500 KFOR troops will be reduced to 5,000 by March next year,” he stressed and added that KFOR Commander Erhard Buhler had informed him that the decision had been made in order to improve political and security situation in Kosovo. Miletic explained that the KFOR commander therefore had an assignment to create a new organization which would compensate the reduced number of troops with increased mobility, efficiency and operational ability. He pointed out that he, however, did not agree that the reduction in number of KFOR troops could be justified with improvement of political and security situation in Kosovo. The chief of the general staff said that a general assessment was that security situation in Kosovo was “relatively peaceful, but potentially unstable”. “It is under control of the international security forces but we are witnesses of daily flammable or irresponsible statements of certain people, which in a way deteriorate the situation,” he explained. Miletic does not expect the security situation to deteriorate and believes that “hot red lines” between the VS and KFOR will not have to be used. According to him, the “hot red lines” are direct connections in the ground safety zone between the VS units on one side of the administrative line and members of KFOR on the other. He explained that those lines were used in crisis situations and noted that “during one period we did not have a need to activate those connections because there really were no situations that could jeopardize safety in the region.” General Colonel Miloje Miletic (Tanjug)

Army chief on situation in Kosovo

“From current 8,500 KFOR troops will be reduced to 5,000 by March next year,” he stressed and added that KFOR Commander Erhard Buhler had informed him that the decision had been made in order to improve political and security situation in Kosovo.

Miletić explained that the KFOR commander therefore had an assignment to create a new organization which would compensate the reduced number of troops with increased mobility, efficiency and operational ability.

He pointed out that he, however, did not agree that the reduction in number of KFOR troops could be justified with improvement of political and security situation in Kosovo.

The chief of the general staff said that a general assessment was that security situation in Kosovo was “relatively peaceful, but potentially unstable”.

“It is under control of the international security forces but we are witnesses of daily flammable or irresponsible statements of certain people, which in a way deteriorate the situation,” he explained.

Miletić does not expect the security situation to deteriorate and believes that “hot red lines” between the VS and KFOR will not have to be used.

According to him, the “hot red lines” are direct connections in the ground safety zone between the VS units on one side of the administrative line and members of KFOR on the other.

He explained that those lines were used in crisis situations and noted that “during one period we did not have a need to activate those connections because there really were no situations that could jeopardize safety in the region.”