NATO is alarmed by political developments in Kosovo: “The situation in Kosovo is of great concern. “NATO is deploying hundreds of additional peacekeepers and carrying out more patrols in northern Kosovo,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg told “Welt am Sonntag,” according to the preliminary report. “I want to say clearly: NATO troops are ready to maintain peace in Kosovo. We will not allow the violence of the 1990s to return.”
Serbia and Kosovo, which is predominantly inhabited by Albanians, should return to EU-mediated dialogue. “This is the only way to achieve lasting peace for all communities,” Stoltenberg said.
Just last night, Britain sent 200 new soldiers to reinforce the currently around 4,500 KFOR peacekeepers, who have been in the country under NATO command since 1999. Another 100 Romanian soldiers are expected to follow soon. From April onwards, more German soldiers from the Bundeswehr will replace the Austrians who were then withdrawn from KFOR. 28 countries are involved in the United Nations KFOR operation, eight of which are non-NATO members.
The situation came to a head
About 50,000 Serbs live in northern Kosovo, but more than 90 percent of Kosovo’s total population are ethnic Albanians. Two weeks ago, suspected Serbian militias close to the government in Belgrade attacked Kosovar police officers in northern Kosovo and killed one officer.
Meanwhile, additional Serb troops were also concentrated on the border with Kosovo. The situation is considered more tense than it has been in years. Kosovo declared itself independent in 2008. However, Serbia and several EU countries – including the Netherlands, Spain and Cyprus – do not recognize the state.