KFOR "hopes dialogue will yield results"

KFOR Commander Erhard Drews said he hoped the results of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade will soon be implemented.

Izvor: Tanjug

Thursday, 29.12.2011.

11:46

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KFOR Commander Erhard Drews said he hoped the results of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade will soon be implemented. He stressed that the agreements needed to be implemented in order to make the life of people in Kosovo, who had suffered the most, easier. KFOR "hopes dialogue will yield results" Drews told daily Vecernje novosti that the situation in northern Kosovo had remained stable in the face of challenges and pointed out he still hoped the efforts of all political actors would yield results. “I think it will take time and hard work, but at the same time I hope both sides will work together and efficiently for the benefit of all people living in Kosovo,” he was quoted as saying. Commenting on the fact that people in northern Kosovo consider themselves citizens of Serbia and not the state of Kosovo, Drews responded that KFOR had no position on this political issue. “Still, I see great progress in all of Kosovo, except the north, where things have not changed much since 1999,” the KFOR commander pointed out. He said that history made the demands and complains legitimate at times, but they did not help anyone, adding that Kosovo was home to many communities and Serbs were a part of this. Reminded that Serbs in northern Kosovo stress the roadblocks are not aimed at KFOR troops but at Kosovo customs officials and EULEX representatives, Drews said he found the roadblocks unacceptable and their legitimacy questionable. “Stopping EULEX, the European rule of law mission, is unacceptable to KFOR. Freedom of movement is an aim of our mission and we will not accept any other outcome. Blocking traffic is not a sustainable situation on the ground,” he said, dismissing claims KFOR came under pressure from political circles in Pristina to use force to remove the barricades. “The Kosovo Serbs are not our enemies and they are well aware of this,” Drews concluded. Erhard Drews Tanjug Vecernje novosti

KFOR "hopes dialogue will yield results"

Drews told daily Večernje novosti that the situation in northern Kosovo had remained stable in the face of challenges and pointed out he still hoped the efforts of all political actors would yield results.

“I think it will take time and hard work, but at the same time I hope both sides will work together and efficiently for the benefit of all people living in Kosovo,” he was quoted as saying.

Commenting on the fact that people in northern Kosovo consider themselves citizens of Serbia and not the state of Kosovo, Drews responded that KFOR had no position on this political issue.

“Still, I see great progress in all of Kosovo, except the north, where things have not changed much since 1999,” the KFOR commander pointed out.

He said that history made the demands and complains legitimate at times, but they did not help anyone, adding that Kosovo was home to many communities and Serbs were a part of this.

Reminded that Serbs in northern Kosovo stress the roadblocks are not aimed at KFOR troops but at Kosovo customs officials and EULEX representatives, Drews said he found the roadblocks unacceptable and their legitimacy questionable.

“Stopping EULEX, the European rule of law mission, is unacceptable to KFOR. Freedom of movement is an aim of our mission and we will not accept any other outcome. Blocking traffic is not a sustainable situation on the ground,” he said, dismissing claims KFOR came under pressure from political circles in Priština to use force to remove the barricades.

“The Kosovo Serbs are not our enemies and they are well aware of this,” Drews concluded.

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