Botsan-Kharchenko: KFOR should return to its mandate defined by the Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council

The Ambassador of Russia in Serbia, Aleksandr Botsan Kharchenko, called on KFOR to return to its mandate, which was defined by the Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council, to act impartially and ensure strict compliance with the established order, which foresaw that the presence of Pristina's Special Forces in the north of Kosovo had to be agreed in advance, between among other things, with the command of KFOR, Sputnik writes.

"Commander of KFOR Italian General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, commenting on the actions of his subordinates in Zvecan on May 29, 2023, when armed Pristina police officers and KFOR used force against the Serbs who were peacefully protesting, stated that "thanks to the professionalism" of KFOR they allegedly managed to prevent further escalation and human casualties. The bragging of the NATO general sounds cynical and mocking towards the provincial Serbs," Botsan-Kharchenko announced.

As the statement added, the Serbs in Kosovo had justifiably disagreed with the results of the pseudo-election on April 23.

"KFOR members, on the other hand, received an order from someone to protect the Kosovo Albanian security forces and disperse the Serbian rally. Is that the way to de-escalation? Rather, it is the other way around. The situation in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, which is inhabited by the Serbs, is still very tense, unfounded arrests of the Serbs and attacks on civilians, including children, continue. KFOR has distanced itself from that - it is probably busy improving its professionalism," the Russian Ambassador says.

Botsan-Kharchenko called on KFOR to return to its mandate as defined by the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, to act impartially and to ensure strict compliance with the established order, which stipulates that the presence of Pristina's Special Forces in the north of Kosovo must be agreed in advance, among other things, with the KFOR command.

"We believe that the wider public in Serbia would be interested in whether General Ristuccia allowed the deployment of Kosovo Albanian security forces near the administrative buildings in Kosovska Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok, and Leposavic at the end of May 2023," the Russian Ambassador asked.

As he added, "NATO's distorted approach to peacekeeping issues is well known."

"An example of this is the consistent development of the military infrastructure of the alliance in the countries of Eastern Europe, in violation of the promises, which were repeatedly given to the Russian leadership, and the principle of indivisibility of security, affirmed at the highest level in the OSCE," Botsan-Kharchenko points out.