KFOR Commander After NATO Headquarters Visit: Just Political Solution Between Kosovo and Serbia

KFOR Commander General Ozkan Ulutasch has stayed on an official visit to Brussels, on his own at NATO headquarters.

As he has announced, meetings have been held with senior NATO civil and military officials, including Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, and ambassadors from all countries contributing troops to our KFOR mission.

He says he has informed them of the latest security trends in Kosovo and the Western Balkans and of KFOR priorities in the coming weeks and months.

From this visit, he says he received three key “messages that I heard aloud and clearly in all the meetings I held”.

The first message, according to Ulutash, was that NATO allies and partners fully support KFOR's efforts to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement at any time and impartially.

Second, according to him, was that KFOR is the longest and now the largest mission of NATO and represents a concrete and tangible demonstration of NATO's steadfast commitment to regional stability.

“We will make sure that our mission remains well equipped and well placed to continue implementing its UN mandate as the third security responseer, in close co-ordination with the Kosovo Police and the EU's mission to rule of Law”, General Ulutas said.

While, the third message he says to have received from meetings held at NATO headquarters has been about resolving the dispute between Kosovo and Serbia.

KFOR commander says the only solution between the two countries is political.

“3, there can only be political solutions to the current situation. One who recognises and respects the rights of all communities living in Kosovo. In this respect, NATO continues to fully support the EU-brokered dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. And KFOR will continue to play its support role”.

A stable political solution ultimately depends on a commitment of all parties to refrain from destabilising rhetoric and destabilising actions, and instead engage constructively in the EU-launched dialogue. This is key to the lasting security of all people living in Kosovo, for a better future for generations to come, and for regional stability”, KFOR Commander General Ozkan Ulutas said in a video message.