Belgrade warns: Reducing NATO force in Kosovo like lighting fire

Kancelarija za KiM

Petar Petkovic, a Serbia’s Government official, warned on Monday that reducing the number of NATO-led KFOR mission in Kosovo would be like lightning matches near a barrel with gunpowder.

Petkovic, the head of the Government Office for Kosovo, said that if speculations about NATO’s reduction of the number of its soldiers serving with the KFOR or their withdrawal would have long-lasting consequences for peace and the survival of the Serbs in Kosovo.

“I don’t want to believe that such dangerous statements were serious,” Petkovic told the Belgrade Vecernje Novosti daily.

He commented on Slovenia’s Army Chief-of-Staff Robert Glavas announcement that his country would gradually reduce the number of soldiers engaged in KFOR, to strengthen the engagement in NATO and EU high-alert forces.