Secretary General says Kosovo volatile, Pakistan restive
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on January 10 expressed optimism for the situation in Afghanistan amid criticism of allies’ apathy in the region. Welcoming a recent decision by the United States to send an extra 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan, de Hoop Scheffer called for patience and cautioned against drawing hasty conclusions on the situation in the country.
Addressing journalists at a New Year reception hosted by NATO, de Hoop Scheffer denied that allies “are not active enough” adding, “If you look at the recent past, you see a number of allies stepping up to the plate. Even yesterday, we heard that Poland has made a very substantial and considerable offer, including eight helicopters, which is a lot, and ground forces for Afghanistan.”
“Nations like Slovakia, Hungary, Georgia, France, the Czech Republic, Australia, Norway, Singapore, Azerbaijan - all of course according to their capability - ...have recently contributed or are contributing forces,” he said. “The Afghan National Army is doing better and better. Health care is up. Child mortality is down. Two-thirds of villages in Afghanistan have received development projects worth up to USD 50,000. Comparing situation in 2001 to start of 2008, lots of progress has been made, but the problem is that we, the international community has no patience. We want to see instant progress, but that is not possible. We need ‘patience.’ This is a long-term commitment,” he said.
Stressing, “The answer in Afghanistan is not military but civilian. Reconstruction and development is something for the long-haul,” the Secretary General reiterated that Afghanistan is the key in the fight against terrorism.
According to NATO figures, the number of troops in ISAF - now provided by 39 nations - rose from around 33,000 in January 2007, to almost 42,000 by December. With around 140 suicide attacks, 2007 was the bloodiest year in Afghanistan since the Taliban were ousted from power in late 2001, according to a United Nations survey.
Answering a journalist’s question, de Hoop Scheffer expressed concern over the situation in Pakistan. “That’s the situation in Pakistan, it’s very relevant for the NATO operation, the ISAF operation in Afghanistan.”
Refusing to comment on the internal situation in Pakistan, the Secretary General said, “I’ll not comment on the internal situation in Pakistan. That’s not up to me. What is important is that those people who are trying to make life in Afghanistan more complicated than it already is, are adequately dealt with in Pakistan as well.”
On the issue of Kosovo, Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer said NATO had a clear “key” role in Kosovo and “KFOR will stay and protect minorities and majorities alike.” Highlighting the presence of about “16,000” peacekeeping troops in Kosovo, the Secretary General said, “KFOR is there to stay with 1244 UN resolution... (and will stay) unless there is another resolution from United Nations.”
“The situation (in Kosovo) is volatile now ... (But) Let nobody be under the illusion that he or she could get his way by violent means,” the NATO chief said. “Although I prefer a negotiated solution, the chance seems remote now,” he added.
Asked to comment on the changes if the European Union will send its own mission to Kosovo, de Hoop Scheffer told journalists, “KFOR’s mandate as such will not change ...But the ESDP mission, as you know, when it would come, would have a police element and KFOR is not a police force in Kosovo.”
He described the need to have a close EU-NATO cooperation in Kosovo as “very important” and said all of the Western Balkans should one day be allowed to join NATO and the EU. Kosovo, a province of 2.2 million, has been under UN administration since 1999, when NATO bombs stopped Serbian ethnic cleansing in the area.
Commenting on the Western Balkans in general, the Secretary General said, “Now, we have ...the only recipe, in my opinion, which will create lasting stability and security in the Balkans is the road to Euro- Atlantic integration. And at the end of the day, and I don’t know when the end of the day will come, but my ideal would be that I see all those countries in the European Union and in NATO. That is the only recipe for stability.”
NATO leaders are due to meet in Bucharest, Romania, for a summit scheduled to take place on April 2-4. The NATO chief de Hoop Scheffer said the summit would address “future threats and challenges,” such as cyber defence and energy security, and would consider the applications of three potential new member states: Albania, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
Saying, “the level of scrutiny has never been more intense,” and without committing himself on their chances to join the alliance this spring, the Secretary General urged them to continue reforms up to “the last moment.” “NATO allies will take a political decision,” he added.
Asked to comment on others (Georgia and Ukraine), de Hoop Scheffer said, “Ukraine has a distinctive partnership, Intensified Dialogue. So has Georgia, Intensified Dialogue. We should use that to the full ...I do not know what Bucharest exactly will result in as far as Ukraine and Georgia are concerned. For the moment my advice would be let’s at least use the Intensified Dialogue we have with Ukraine and with Georgia to the full. And I say again we’ll certainly, and I’ll certainly establish sooner rather than later contacts with the new Ukrainian government and with the Georgian government for that matter, after the moment there is a new Georgian government.”
Showing posts with label KFOR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KFOR. Show all posts
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Friday, December 14, 2007
Kosovo fails to patch up NATO-Russia gap
Lavrov rejects, Rice defends Ahtisaari independence plan
Kosovo hogged the limelight at the ministerial meeting of NATO ministers on December 7, held in cloudy, rain-soaked Brussels, as Russia later joined a NATORussia Council to express strong opposition to any unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo.
The differences stayed at same levels if not widening as NATO and Russia failed to agree over the future status of Kosovo ahead of December 10 UN deadline to reach an amicable agreement.
The UN had set the deadline for internationally-brokered talks to deliver agreement on Kosovo but the talks have already ended without a deal. Kosovo’s ethnic Albanians having a majority opt for independence while Serbia does not want to let go.
Addressing journalists, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “We are for a solution which will be acceptable to both Belgrade and Pristina and only for government bodies which will be fully empowered to ensure security.” Asked to comment on Moscow’s response to a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo, Lavrov said, “Reaction will be based on international law and I very much hope that other members of international community will proceed on that basis too.”Lavrov called the projected solution as “as a precedent,” adding, “How the Kosovo crisis is going to evolve is being looked at by a lot of other countries in the world and not only countries in the Balkans. So it has to do with international law, Helsinki Act and any body who goes against them, will certainly go on a slippery path and not help stability of Europe.”
Asking the negotiations to continue beyond the December 10 deadline, Lavrov warned those who talk of only Kosovo independence “not to camouflage in lies” as Belgrade with “a whole series of specific compromise proposals” has been “very constructive and flexible in its proposals” and which merited further negotiations on Kosovo’s status.
Earlier, James Appathurai, NATO spokesman said, “Clearly the Russian position is different ... the NATO point of view is ... that the process should now move - that there needs to be movement towards resolution.” NATO has confirmed it will keep 16,000 troops in Kosovo - still a province of Serbia - to deter any violence.
Addressing journalists, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, “We have agreed to keep NATO troops on ground, no troop reduction, no additional caveats and to allow our military commanders to do the necessary military planning for the alliance.”
“We are committed to a stable and peaceful Balkans, that was an early commitment of NATO and it remains a commitment of NATO.”Asked to comment on Lavrov’s insistence that talks should continue, Rice said, “We hope that there can be a constructive approach that will unite all of us with responsibilities for stability in the Balkans and that includes Russia as Russia also has responsibilities for that. But there is a certain reality and that reality is that Troika which worked very hard, made some progress, got two sides to talk for the first time, laid down some important principles but I think that process is at an end.”
“If you see what we are hearing from Troika, it’s very clear and that means now that we have to move on to next step. It is not going to produce stability in the Balkans to ignore the reality of situation between Belgrade and Pristina.”
“It’s not going to help stability to put off decisions however difficult they may be. We have to make sure that we have full commitments to the principles before decisions are taken that are embodied in the Ahtisaari plan. This is going to be difficult enough and everybody has to live up to responsibilities.” According to the proposed plan of Martti Ahtisaari, UN administrator in Kosovo, there should be a “supervised independence.”
Speaking about her discussion with NATO allies, Rice said, “We have recommitment to KFOR and we are ready for all contingencies but also an understanding that there needed to be unity between the allies as we are going to move into what is undoubtedly going to be a difficult period. We have had a UN track and reaffirmation of 1244 is the most important thing that we can do right now.”
The US Secretary of State reiterated, “We can not go anywhere by ignoring reality and pretending that we don’t have to make decisions.” Echoing her views, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer had said NATO would “act resolutely against anyone who seeks to resort to violence.”
Earlier, NATO foreign ministers agreed that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is a sufficient and appropriate legal basis for KFOR to continue its role. The alliance ministers also concluded that KFOR’s force levels will remain as they are, and that no new restrictions will be placed on the use of those forces.
There have been warnings from ethnic Albanian leaders that they may declare independence unilaterally after December 10 deadline lapses, prompting fears of a fresh outbreak of violence.
“Kosovo will remain and has to remain a place where Kosovar Albanians, Serbs and others must be able to live in peace together – free from fear, and free from intimidation. And we are determined to play our part,” stressed the NATO Secretary General.
The majority ethnic Albanians in Kosovo have nodded yes to the Ahtisaari plan which is set to gradually steer Kosovo’s institutions towards independence with guidance from international institutions while safeguarding the rights and property of the Serb minority.
Arguing that such a solution for Kosovo will set dangerous precedent for separatist inspirations elsewhere like Basque, Scottish and other regions, Russia has supported Serbia’s stance at the UN Security Council to keep Kosovo within Serbia but with greater autonomy.Kosovo is technically part of Serbia but has been under UN administration for the last eight years. Belgrade’s security forces were driven out of Kosovo by a NATO bombing campaign in 1999, launched to stop a violent Serb crackdown on ethnic Albanians.
Kosovo hogged the limelight at the ministerial meeting of NATO ministers on December 7, held in cloudy, rain-soaked Brussels, as Russia later joined a NATORussia Council to express strong opposition to any unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo.
The differences stayed at same levels if not widening as NATO and Russia failed to agree over the future status of Kosovo ahead of December 10 UN deadline to reach an amicable agreement.
The UN had set the deadline for internationally-brokered talks to deliver agreement on Kosovo but the talks have already ended without a deal. Kosovo’s ethnic Albanians having a majority opt for independence while Serbia does not want to let go.
Addressing journalists, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “We are for a solution which will be acceptable to both Belgrade and Pristina and only for government bodies which will be fully empowered to ensure security.” Asked to comment on Moscow’s response to a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo, Lavrov said, “Reaction will be based on international law and I very much hope that other members of international community will proceed on that basis too.”Lavrov called the projected solution as “as a precedent,” adding, “How the Kosovo crisis is going to evolve is being looked at by a lot of other countries in the world and not only countries in the Balkans. So it has to do with international law, Helsinki Act and any body who goes against them, will certainly go on a slippery path and not help stability of Europe.”
Asking the negotiations to continue beyond the December 10 deadline, Lavrov warned those who talk of only Kosovo independence “not to camouflage in lies” as Belgrade with “a whole series of specific compromise proposals” has been “very constructive and flexible in its proposals” and which merited further negotiations on Kosovo’s status.
Earlier, James Appathurai, NATO spokesman said, “Clearly the Russian position is different ... the NATO point of view is ... that the process should now move - that there needs to be movement towards resolution.” NATO has confirmed it will keep 16,000 troops in Kosovo - still a province of Serbia - to deter any violence.
Addressing journalists, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, “We have agreed to keep NATO troops on ground, no troop reduction, no additional caveats and to allow our military commanders to do the necessary military planning for the alliance.”
“We are committed to a stable and peaceful Balkans, that was an early commitment of NATO and it remains a commitment of NATO.”Asked to comment on Lavrov’s insistence that talks should continue, Rice said, “We hope that there can be a constructive approach that will unite all of us with responsibilities for stability in the Balkans and that includes Russia as Russia also has responsibilities for that. But there is a certain reality and that reality is that Troika which worked very hard, made some progress, got two sides to talk for the first time, laid down some important principles but I think that process is at an end.”
“If you see what we are hearing from Troika, it’s very clear and that means now that we have to move on to next step. It is not going to produce stability in the Balkans to ignore the reality of situation between Belgrade and Pristina.”
“It’s not going to help stability to put off decisions however difficult they may be. We have to make sure that we have full commitments to the principles before decisions are taken that are embodied in the Ahtisaari plan. This is going to be difficult enough and everybody has to live up to responsibilities.” According to the proposed plan of Martti Ahtisaari, UN administrator in Kosovo, there should be a “supervised independence.”
Speaking about her discussion with NATO allies, Rice said, “We have recommitment to KFOR and we are ready for all contingencies but also an understanding that there needed to be unity between the allies as we are going to move into what is undoubtedly going to be a difficult period. We have had a UN track and reaffirmation of 1244 is the most important thing that we can do right now.”
The US Secretary of State reiterated, “We can not go anywhere by ignoring reality and pretending that we don’t have to make decisions.” Echoing her views, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer had said NATO would “act resolutely against anyone who seeks to resort to violence.”
Earlier, NATO foreign ministers agreed that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is a sufficient and appropriate legal basis for KFOR to continue its role. The alliance ministers also concluded that KFOR’s force levels will remain as they are, and that no new restrictions will be placed on the use of those forces.
There have been warnings from ethnic Albanian leaders that they may declare independence unilaterally after December 10 deadline lapses, prompting fears of a fresh outbreak of violence.
“Kosovo will remain and has to remain a place where Kosovar Albanians, Serbs and others must be able to live in peace together – free from fear, and free from intimidation. And we are determined to play our part,” stressed the NATO Secretary General.
The majority ethnic Albanians in Kosovo have nodded yes to the Ahtisaari plan which is set to gradually steer Kosovo’s institutions towards independence with guidance from international institutions while safeguarding the rights and property of the Serb minority.
Arguing that such a solution for Kosovo will set dangerous precedent for separatist inspirations elsewhere like Basque, Scottish and other regions, Russia has supported Serbia’s stance at the UN Security Council to keep Kosovo within Serbia but with greater autonomy.Kosovo is technically part of Serbia but has been under UN administration for the last eight years. Belgrade’s security forces were driven out of Kosovo by a NATO bombing campaign in 1999, launched to stop a violent Serb crackdown on ethnic Albanians.
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