KFOR doesn't even confess whether Kosovo police officers entered Serbia

Peacekeeping Mission NATO in Kosovo (KFOR) has not exposed or confirmed Serbia's Ministry of Defence claim that on November 21st a group of heavily armed Kosovo police have passed the border line unauthorly in the village of Chirkovic, on the territory of the municipality of Leposavisic.

KFOR said the situation along the border between Kosovo and Serbia is calm and that they are continuing to pursue the development of events.

“We have a visible and flexible presence and are well positioned to respond to any security scenario, in line with our multi-year mandate based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999”, KFOR said.

At the end of his response, KFOR said that on this specific issue -- whether the Kosovo police have crossed the border line or not -- “refer to Serbian authorities for further comments”.

After that, The REL has again turned to KFOR to specify why only Serbian authorities are competent to provide answers to the issue.

We have made our stand clear and have nothing to add. For any additional comment concerning the statement issued by the Serbian Defence Ministry, we address Serbian authorities”, KFOR told Free Europe Radio.

Kosovo police on Thursday, November 21st, described Serbia's claims as untrue that Kosovo police passed the border line with Serbia unauthorisedly.

Such statements referred to in Serbia's Defence Ministry announcement are untrue and do not stand. So these writings and the announcement published as such is a disinformation that aims to create uncertainty in the citizens of the area and tarnish the work of the Kosovo Police”, it was said in the reaction of the Kosovo Police.

The Serbian Defence Ministry said the unauthorized “passage of the administrative line” between Serbia and Kosovo represents dangerous “provocations and a threat to peace” and added that Serbia's Army is following the situation on the ground and is willing to react in line with the Kumanovo Military-Technic Agreement.

Serbia's Defence Ministry has also requested from KFOR, “as the only legal and legitimate military force” on the territory of Kosovo, that “take measures in line with its mandate and prevent the Pristina provisional authorities in efforts to trigger a escalation of violence”.

Meanwhile, Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, said on November 21st he expects the United States' reaction because “ata knows it was [Kosovo Prime Minister Albin] Kurti the one who deliberately ordered this”.

He asked the US to announce Serbia if it is right “when he says Kurti personally ordered his provocation and entry into the territory of Serbia”.

He expected these individuals to be liquidated and that would be the reason to include NATO in a conflict with Serbia. Next time, we will react in line with full rules of military service”, Vuciq told the Serbian public broadcaster.

Free Europe Radio has been addressed to the US Embassy in Pristina and the American State Department with a request to comment on these claims by the Serbian president, but those two institutions have not yet responded.

Kosovo and Serbia have a border line of about 350km, and more than 60% of this line passes through municipalities in northern Kosovo, inhabited mainly by Serbs.

Kosovo and Serbia share a long border line of about 350km, and over 60 per cent of this line includes Serb-run municipalities in northern Kosovo.