Osmani: We oppose calls for return of Serbian Army to Kosovo

Northern Macedonia opposes possible return of the Serbian Army to Kosovo territory. The country's Foreign Minister, Bujar Osmani, claims he has been following December developments in the north with concern, which were accompanied by barricades. He said he supports Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and reaching an agreement with mutual recognition.

Northern Macedonia takes over the chairmanship of the Adriatic Charter this year, while Kosovo continues to remain only an observer state in this mechanism, which Osmani claims our country should join this charter this year.

Kosovo has so far hindered membership from having consensus, and I have also called during the Podgorica conference when we have taken the lead that this year should surely have Kosovo joined this card, and our idea is on the 20th anniversary of establishing a new strategic concept, which is now with the Euro-Atlantic ambitions of the region, because if four of the five countries have already joined, it would mean the preliminary goal of the idea for A5 has been realised. Now we must create new strategic conception, what we do with Kosovo in NATO, what we do with Bosnia and Herzegovina in NATO, and what will be the report of NATO with Serbia, and we intend during our chairmanship to come up with a clear strategic concept of what priorities should be and on what dynamics this platform will need to do its job, of course, by establishing an accent on Kosovo's membership in NATO”, Osmani says in an interview for KosovaPress.

The foreign minister in northern Macedonia says they have attended developments in the north of the country, where Serbs established barricades and created tensions in that part of the state.

He has voiced opposition to Serbia's call to return military and police troops to Kosovo.

“We follow with concern because very pale is the line between inflammatory rhetoric or nationalist rhetoric until the passage to the field, so we've been against these calls for the return of the army to Kosovo, even those for internal consumption because you may have some other idea behind that rhetoric but people can take a different turn and then get late. Therefore, it is important to reduce this unnecessary rhetoric, I remember that the intensifying of mediation through concrete ideas is the good possibility that both sides should use, I talk about European mediation through the Franco-German proposal because the status quo does not convert either side, nor Kosovo from the status quo benefits only the third countries that want to keep conflicts open here and in that way have their own impact”, Osmani says.

Osmani says they support Kosovo in actions to implement the law on its entire territory.

He adds that Northern Macedonia supports the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and, according to him, should have a comprehensive solution based on mutual recognition as soon as possible.

The rule of law has to be implemented and respected and that is without a dilemma, but I remember that in these situations that are very sensitive, in these situations in which not each side knows the stability and peace in the region I think we should be much more attentive and much more careful. I have said Northern Macedonia can serve as an example not only for Kosovo and Serbia, but for many countries in the region, whether for good or for bad, how we approach the report with the international community, the report with the parties with which we have been at odds, or we have had an open issue, and I remember that only bold decisions, close co-operation with our partners before Washington and Brussels, the vision for the future can also be guarantor for the interests of each of us”, Osmani declared.