KSF to use "demilitarized firearms"

11 March 2010 | 09:41 | Source: Beta

PRIŠTINA -- The NATO-led force in Kosovo, KFOR, and the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) have agreed to resume cooperation. This was announced in Priština by Kosovo Albanian President Fatmir Sejdiu's office. A statement said that Sejdiu, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, and KFOR commander Gen. Markus Bentler reached agreement on the issue. "KFOR's support to the force, whose missions include rapid reaction, clearing explosives, ancivil protection, at the moment is limited to counseling and training," said the statement. In a statement of its won, also issued on Wednesday in Priština, KFOR said after it suspended cooperation with the force on March 5, Sejdiu and Thaci took steps in settling the matter with the KFOR commander. Beta news agency reports that KFOR added that the effort has produced a new agreement concerning the force's honor guard, which will in the future use "demilitarized firearms" in a manner agreed with the KFOR commander and subject to current needs. "The agreement also confirmed that the Kosovo Security Force has no military or defense role, considering that this is the role of KFOR," according to the statement. With an agreement in place, KFOR confirms it will resume its counseling role and training duties. KFOR suspended certain activities after KSF members appeared carrying weapons during an event glorifying the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). KFOR explained that this violated agreements on the force's participation in the event and also complained about the raising of NATO's flag, noting that KFOR is "status neutral".