Kehoe: Ireland to back Kosovo's EU, UN membership

Minister Kehoe made these comments today after his meeting with Kosovo Security Force Minister Rrustem Berisha.

After the meeting, Ireland's Defence Minister Paul Kehoe, who is visiting Kosovo for the first time, said he is in Kosovo to visit Irish troops who are participating in KFOR.

We've had extensive discussions with your minister this evening about your country and also about military relations, and your plans to enter the European Union. We are very supportive of your application to the European Union and I know that your country is in a process at the moment. We have also discussed your membership in the United Nations and the EU, we support your membership in the United Nations, I think the best days will come to Kosovo and I look forward to coming back here to visit your country, and even your minister said he would want to visit Ireland once, and you are very welcome to visit always. We also have the ambassador here, who will work closely with the minister and the government on improving relations and rebuilding relations we already have. I want to thank the minister much for his co-operation and invitation to meet him here tonight, I expect greater co-operation between Kosovo and Ireland”, he said.

He said they feel very honored that Irish brains are participating in KFOR from 1999 to today, where he said they are proud as well as bringing stability to Kosovo.

On the other hand, KSF Minister Rrustem Berisha indicated that soon the two defence ministries will sign a memorandum of co-operation in the area of security.

Similarly, Minister Berisha said he has informed Ireland's Defence Minister of intentions and with the process of transforming the KSF into the military.

“The minister announced at short points with KSF achievements, in the progress we have made especially in the integration of communities not majority, female gender participation in KSF structures, with our objectives, with the objectives and process of transforming the KSF into the Kosovo Armed Forces. At the same time, we thanked the defence minister for the support and support they have given us on our journey towards freedom, and especially in the post-war time and still continue to give through their soldiers within KFOR. We talked about advancing co-operation between the two ministries in the area of security in the future, and I believe we will soon sign the memorandum of co-operation between the two ministries in the field of security”, the minister Berisha said.

Republika Ireland's Defence Minister Paul Kehoe, at the Ministry of the Kosovo Security Force, has been solemnly received, reports Kosova Prees.