NATO sends additional troops to Kosovo: Tensions have increased

The United States on 19 July will send 500 young soldiers from Texas, North Carolina, California and New York to Kosovo, and this, according to the American newspaper Stars and Stripes, which reports on the military, due to tensions in Kosovo.

The paper further writes that tensions in Kosovo have increased particularly after the June national elections, where Albanian nationalist parties have marked a significant increase. On the other hand, the Serbian political party loyal to Belgrade has won a large number of votes from the Serb minority.

The local “Serbs, who initially opposed NATO protection, now want NATO military troops to stay in Kosovo in order to protect the Serb community”, writes this American newspaper, Metro records.

NATO has recently been using vetous against the Kosovo authorities' initiative to transform the Kosovo Security Forces into the Kosovo Army.

Peacekeeping Mission NATO has taken on special importance in recent months following several more disputes between Kosovo and Serbia.

NATO commanders say their main role is to ensure a unimpeded dialogue between the two hostile communities.

Professor Folorian Bieber, co-ordinator for the Balkans in Europe's Council Group, said American soldiers are initially fulfilling a symbolic role in the Balkans.

The symbolic “Mirpo can be of vital importance”, he said, adding that as such it could be taken as a sign of commitment to Kosovo.

Kosovo is the potential candidate to join the European Union (BE), and Serbia is in the middle of negotiating to become the next EU state. But it still remains unclear whether the two countries are willing to put aside their historic disputes to work within a common framework.