Stoltenberg: Close cooperation between the Serbian Army and KFOR; I call on all parties to reduce tensions

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated after a meeting with President Aleksandar Vucic that Serbia was an important regional participant and a long-term partner of NATO, adding that the Alliance continued to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities in Kosovo, and supported the formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities.

Stoltenberg stated that after the events in Banjska on September 24, NATO reinforced KFOR with 1,000 soldiers, emphasizing that this was the largest reinforcement in the last decade.

"NATO is ready to preserve peace. I welcome the close cooperation between the Serbian Army and KFOR. I call on all parties to reduce tensions and refrain from escalatory actions. Amassing troops near the administrative line would not help the situation. I also welcome and support the formation of the CSM; it would be key to normalizing relations. I call on Belgrade and Pristina to engage in dialogue", Stoltenberg said.

Stating that for two decades, KFOR had been guaranteeing a safe and secure environment for all communities in Kosovo, he stated that they would continue to do so impartially and under the auspices of the UN.

"Some NATO members have survived attacks; violence occurred in September, and that cannot be allowed. Those who did it must be brought to justice. We welcome Serbia's willingness to cooperate in this regard", Stoltenberg said.

According to him, he also discussed the cooperation between Serbia and NATO with President Vucic and said that a good example of this collaboration was the joint work within the NATO Partnership for Peace Program.

"During the meeting, we discussed resuming joint military exercises; we had them before, and I hope we can continue them in the future", he said.

One of the topics, as he stated, was the war between Russia and Ukraine.

In this regard, he said that they continued to criticize Russia's aggression and pointed out that Ukraine was entering the second winter of war, and NATO would continue to support that country.

Stating that NATO was based on certain principles, one of the main ones being the rule of law, Stoltenberg said that any violation and infringement of the rule of law and the killing of civilians were unacceptable.

"Those responsible must be held accountable, regardless of who the perpetrator is", Stoltenberg said, responding to the question of whether those responsible for attacks on the Serbs in Kosovo, specifically those who shot Dragisa Galjak, would be held accountable.

He pointed out that NATO did not have the mandate, nor was it in Kosovo to enforce laws.

"The first to react is the Kosovo Police, followed by EULEX; NATO in Kosovo is not there to enforce the law. Our presence is to ensure security. NATO is not an entity that enforces the law in Kosovo. We have increased our presence due to increased tensions and violence, but rest assured, whenever we see a violation of the law and innocent people killed, the response is the same - those responsible must be held accountable", the NATO Secretary General said.

He states that NATO respects the decision for Serbia to remain militarily neutral and emphasizes that, even as such, Serbia can collaborate with NATO.

When asked by journalists whether NATO would create a safe environment and enable the Serbs in Kosovo to vote on December 17, Stoltenberg said that NATO's mission in Kosovo had the mandate to provide a secure environment for all communities without discrimination. However, he clarified that NATO did not have the authority to enforce laws.

"Once again, NATO's presence is based on a UN mandate that gives us an important role in protecting all people and ensuring the freedom of movement for everyone in Kosovo. However, NATO does not have a role in law enforcement. We are not the police; we are a military force", Stoltenberg emphasized.

Regarding the conduct of elections, he pointed out that the partial responsibility lay with the Kosovo Police and partially with EULEX.

He stated that NATO was responsible for peace and security, and in response to the situation and heightened tensions, they had raised the level of caution and had increased the number of soldiers.

He said that he had met with KFOR members at the NATO base in the north yesterday and assured himself of the commitment of the forces to guarantee the security of the Serbs living in the north.

He noted that NATO had provided an additional 1,000 reservists to elevate security to a higher level.