Stoltenberg: Community of municipalities key to normalisation of relations

BELGRADE - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday in Belgrade establishment of a community of Serb-majority municipalities was key to normalisation of Belgrade-Pristina relations.

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Stoltenberg called on Belgrade and Pristina to continue dialogue as it was the only path to peace.

He said the meeting with Vucic had also addressed tensions in the north of Kosovo and the significance of the Kfor mission, which he said had been guaranteeing security for two decades.

He said it would continue to do so in an unbiased manner and within the framework of its mandate.

He also said Kfor troops had been attacked and that there had been unrest in September, and added that the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

He said Kfor had afterwards deployed 1,000 more troops in Kosovo-Metohija, which he noted was its biggest troop increase in the past decade.

Stoltenberg noted that he supported coordination between the Serbian army and Kfor.

He said he was counting on all parties to reduce tensions and refrain from escalatory moves and added that Serbian Armed Forces troop buildups would not be helpful.

He said NATO and Serbia maintained excellent cooperation through the Partnership for Peace programme and in many other areas, such as energy security.

He said the meeting with Vucic had also addressed further joint military exercises, as well as Ukraine.