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Serbia Must Insist on Int’l Accords Prohibiting Creation of Kosovo Army

© AFP 2023 / ARMEND NIMANIKosovar Albanians walk under the EU and Kosovo flags in the main square of Pristina on May 4, 2016.
Kosovar Albanians walk under the EU and Kosovo flags in the main square of Pristina on May 4, 2016. - Sputnik International
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The Serbian government needs to urge adherence to international agreements that do not imply the creation of Kosovo's army in response to Kosovo's draft law aimed at transforming the local Security Force (KSF) into armed forces, President of the Serbian opposition Democratic Party Dragan Sutanovac told Sputnik.

Members of the Kosovo Security Force take part in a field exercise in the village of Nashec near the town of Prizren on October 27, 2016 - Sputnik International
Kosovo is Being Assisted in Creating a National Army: By Whom and Why?
BELGRADE (Sputnik), Victoria Mladenovich – On Tuesday, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci sent to parliament a bill envisaging the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into the army. The plan was criticized on Wednesday by NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg who expressed concern with the draft law and urged Pristina to maintain ties with Belgrade.

"The Serbian government should react to Kosovo plan to transform the security force into an army according to the Kumanovo Agreement that doesn’t foresee formation of any army on the territory of Kosovo and Metohija. We expect the same from the other international stakeholders that participated in the signing of this agreement," Sutanovac said.

Sutanovac was referring to the Kumanovo Military Technical Agreement that, together with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, ended the war in Kosovo in 1999.

According to Sutanovac, Pristina’s current efforts toward the formation of the Kosovo army are "due to a variety of daily political motives" of the Kosovo politicians and indicate misunderstanding of the key challenges, risks and threats of the Kosovo society.

"Kosovo and its society are not war threatened but at the same time the security of their citizens is on a very low level due to a high level of organized crime. The competent authorities on Kosovo should tackle the issue of strengthening the criminal police and security services which serve for prevention of international and organized crime but also in regard to the rising extremism," Sutanovac explained.

On Wednesday, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said that Serbia expected that the European Union, Russia and the United States would contribute to its efforts in countering the formation of the national army in Kosovo.

Kosovo unilaterally proclaimed independence in 2008 and is recognized by over 100 UN member states. Serbia, as well as Russia, China, Israel, Iran, Spain, Greece and other countries do not recognize Kosovo’s independence.

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