NATO backs peace, security, integrations in Kosovo

1 February 2010 | 17:04 | Source: Beta

BRUSSELS -- NATO will support all steps that strengthen peace and security in Kosovo, the alliance’s secretary general has been quoted as saying today. These steps, according to Anders Fogh Rasmussen, include integration of all communities into the Kosovo society, Beta news agency is reporting from Brussels. The news agency specified that this was Rassmusen’s answer to a reporter’s question on whether NATO supported the International Civilian Office (ICO) in Priština in its plan to spread the authority of the Priština (Kosovo Albanian) government to the Serb, northern parts of the province. Rasmussen also confirmed that on Friday in Brussels, he met with ICO and EULEX chiefs Pieter Feith and Yves de Kermabon to discuss this issue. NATO officials at the alliance’s headquarters told Beta that “Atlantic partners have not yet discussed Feith’s plan in the NATO Council”. Meanwhile, EU officials have said that they did not produce the plan. Rasmussen was also quoted as saying that KFOR will consider a further scaling down of its troops from the present 10,200, if the security situation in Kosovo permits for such a move.