O'Brien speaks up: NATO is much stronger in the north, could prevent small local groups causing violence

US Assistant Secretary of State Jim O'Brien said the risk in the Balkans was that some “local battles would turn into a political fire-fire that would hold back the countries of the region”.

O'Brien from Washington said the Western Balkans belong to Europe and that this region “must move ahead of”.

The key risks are in northern Kosovo and with secession threats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. One step we have taken during the past year is that NATO is much stronger, even as the primary force as part of the UN force, KFOR in northern Kosovo, but even as support for EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I think it can stop small local groups from causing violence. I am also encouraged to have had good co-operation with Serbian authorities, with Kosovo authorities trying to address the dangers of violence and increased fighting in northern Kosovo. And I think that, with this, we have a chance for the political process is dialogue, the Development Plan, other things to deal with the causes of violence”, O'Brien said on Monday for Serbian Tanjug.

Asked why the US supported the transition of the Kosovo Security Force to NATO standards and why Kosovo was allowed to be equipped with pilot-free aircraft, O'Brien said UN Resolution 1244 has created “a political process to discuss Kosovo's future”.

That process developed and resulted in Kosovo's independence. Kosovo has the right to defend its territory,” he said.

“is doing so in a transparent process and in close co-operation with international partners as a way to ensure its protection, but without threatening its neighbours. I think that in general there is a movement towards stability in the region and that we will continue to support it from the US”.

Asked about the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and the issue of the Association of Serb majority municipalities, O'Brien said it has been very clear that they support moving forward for its establishment.

“are about 400 of these municipalities' associations across Europe, and we think this would be a model like this”, he said.

“Dialog is part of the way to address concerns. The EU has said that the price of moving forward for both Serbia and Kosovo is full compatibility with dialogue. I will stress that we have other means of creating the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans provides a way to produce the fact that co-operation for things such as transit of goods across borders, tax co-operation, all kinds of practical issues that should start showing benefits for citizens and demonstrate the benefits of co-operation throughout the region”, OCEBrien said.