NATO "deeply concerned" about Kosovo violence, urges Serbian action

Dec 1, 2011, 12:19 GMT

Brussels - NATO said Thursday it was 'deeply concerned' about the violence in northern Kosovo, which has seen NATO soldiers being repeatedly injured by protesting Kosovo Serbs, and urged Serbia to do more to restore calm.

'(We) are deeply concerned about the recent developments in the northern part of Kosovo, which we continue to monitor carefully,' a statement from NATO ambassadors said after meeting in Brussels with representatives of countries contributing to the alliance's KFOR mission in Kosovo.

Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo have put up barricades to prevent the Kosovo government from assuming control over two border crossings to Serbia proper, as was agreed in July in European Union-brokered talks.

NATO soldiers have repeatedly launched initiatives to tear down the barricades. After one of these operations Monday led to 30 of them being injured by small arms fire, improvised bombs and petrol bombs, Serbian President Boris Tadic intervened.

'This is a vicious circle in which only extremists profit,' he said, urging Kosovo Serbs to abandon the roadblocks. 'This way we cannot solve any problems.'

NATO welcomed Tadic's move, but warned that it 'must be followed by concrete actions.'

On Wednesday, German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere also suggested that NATO may no longer reduce Kosovo troop levels, as it planned for February. When asked whether he expected an increase in troops instead, he said that 'it is too early to tell.'

NATO's message was delivered as Serbia and Kosovo resumed a round of EU-brokered talks which had started in Brussels Wednesday.

Belgrade has been warned that unless it strikes new agreements with its former province, an EU summit next week will likely refuse to grant it the status of official candidate to the bloc.

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