Dialogue historic chance, NATO chief says

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Friday that the continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is of vital importance. He pointed out that the dialogue should lead to concrete results and agreements on all issues regarding northern Kosovo. Dialogue historic chance, NATO chief says “The dialogue is a historic chance to build a better future for all people in Kosovo,” Rasmussen said ahead today's meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels which should discuss the situation in northern Kosovo. The ministers of other countries whose troops are a part of the KFOR force will also attend the meeting. Rasmussen assessed that the KFOR mission represented an excellent example of the efforts the Alliance was making in order to provide a secure, democratic and multiethnic Kosovo. He recalled the “outburst of violence in northern Kosovo last year”, and voiced his full support to the KFOR mission. The NATO secretary general underscored that it was “absolutely necessary” for KFOR and EULEX to increase their joint efforts in Kosovo, adding that “Kosovo would then in the future be able to strive toward accession into the Euro-Atlantic family and turn its back to the conflicts in the past”. Diplomatic sources told Beta news agency that KFOR and NATO had expressed their dissatisfaction, claiming that EULEX was not doing enough to preserve peace, public order and to implement laws and that KFOR was therefore forces to do a good part of EULEX’s job even though it is not a part of their mission. Therefore, NATO and KFOR are very interested in seeing the result of EU’s reorganization of EULEX. “KFOR mission and command must have our full support,” Rasmussen pointed out. “KFOR has done a great job providing safety and protection of all people in Kosovo and KFOR will continue to fully carry out its mission in accordance with the UN mandate,” he noted. The two-day meeting at NATO headquarters is aimed at paving the way to the May summit of heads of state and government in Chicago. Anders Fogh Rasmussen (Beta, file) Beta Tanjug

Dialogue historic chance, NATO chief says

“The dialogue is a historic chance to build a better future for all people in Kosovo,” Rasmussen said ahead today's meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels which should discuss the situation in northern Kosovo.

The ministers of other countries whose troops are a part of the KFOR force will also attend the meeting.

Rasmussen assessed that the KFOR mission represented an excellent example of the efforts the Alliance was making in order to provide a secure, democratic and multiethnic Kosovo.

He recalled the “outburst of violence in northern Kosovo last year”, and voiced his full support to the KFOR mission.

The NATO secretary general underscored that it was “absolutely necessary” for KFOR and EULEX to increase their joint efforts in Kosovo, adding that “Kosovo would then in the future be able to strive toward accession into the Euro-Atlantic family and turn its back to the conflicts in the past”.

Diplomatic sources told Beta news agency that KFOR and NATO had expressed their dissatisfaction, claiming that EULEX was not doing enough to preserve peace, public order and to implement laws and that KFOR was therefore forces to do a good part of EULEX’s job even though it is not a part of their mission.

Therefore, NATO and KFOR are very interested in seeing the result of EU’s reorganization of EULEX.

“KFOR mission and command must have our full support,” Rasmussen pointed out.

“KFOR has done a great job providing safety and protection of all people in Kosovo and KFOR will continue to fully carry out its mission in accordance with the UN mandate,” he noted.

The two-day meeting at NATO headquarters is aimed at paving the way to the May summit of heads of state and government in Chicago.