Nato chief assures Western Balkans of alliance support
Mark Rutte came to Kosovo after his first stop in Bosnia a day earlier.
In his first trip to the once-volatile Western Balkans, Nato’s secretary-general underscored the alliance’s “steadfast commitment” to its security and urged Kosovo and Serbia to be flexible in their normalisation talks.
Mark Rutte came to Kosovo after his first stop in Bosnia a day earlier, reassuring the country of the military alliance’s “unwavering” support for its territorial integrity after a series of Bosnian Serb separatist moves raised tensions nearly 30 years after the end of a bloody war.
“A secure Western Balkans region means more security across the whole Euro-Atlantic area,” said Mr Rutte.
He added: “We must be clear-eyed on what lies ahead. Decades of hard-won peace must not be jeopardised.“
Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a decade since the end of the 1998-1999 war between Serbian government forces and ethnic Albanian separatists that pushed Serbian forces out following a 78-day NATO air campaign.
Serbia does not recognise Kosovo’s independence.
Nato leads the Kosovo Force, or Kfor, a peacekeeping mission of some 4,700 troops from 29 countries. It has increased its presence in Kosovo after tensions in the last two years.
“Kfor is fully postured to respond to any relevant security developments,” said Mr Rutte.
The normalisation talks with Serbia are “the only way to solve pending issues and secure a stable future”, according to the alliance’s head.
The European Union-facilitated Kosovo-Serbia normalisation talks, which started in 2011, have yielded little result and they remain stalled.
Both the EU and the US have been urging both sides to implement agreements reached two years ago that include a commitment by Kosovo to establish an Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities. Serbia was also expected to deliver on the de facto recognition of Kosovo.
Brussels has made it clear that normalisation of their ties is indispensable for their integration into the bloc.
“To move this dialogue forward, both sides must show flexibility, make the necessary compromises, and focus on the long-term gains,” said Mr Rutte.
“Normalisation brings greater stability, more investment opportunities, and also lasting security across the whole region for the benefit of all.”
