Kremlin: creation of Kosovo army is a threat to stability in the region
The decision of the Kosovo’s Parliament to transform Security Forces of the partially recognized Republic into a fully-fledged army is a violation of the Resolution of the UN Security Council and can lead to armed conflict, stated the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“This step has become a blatant violation of Resolution 1224 of the UN Security Council aimed at a serious escalation of the situation in the Balkans, fraught with armed conflict in the region,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry.
According to the Ministry, the transformation of Kosovo’s Security Forces into the Army effectively doubled its size and the USA and other NATO countries have already begun training its military. When the Kosovo’s Parliament adopted the law, it estimated that the new army would consist of five thousand servicemen.
The Ministry called Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj “the embodiment of insolvency” of the creation of Kosovo’s statehood. It added that the UN mission in Kosovo and the international “Forces for Kosovo” headed by the NATO must immediately demilitarize any Kosovo-Albanian armed groups based on UN Security Council resolutions.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed regret about Kosovo’s decision. He noted that the creation of the army was approved despite the Alliance’s concerns and now all parties must avoid increasing tensions in the region.
At the same time, the Foreign Ministry of Serbia promised to convene an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council. Nikola Selakovic, an adviser to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić did not discount the possibility of sending their military to Kosovo, AR agency reports.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Russia, China, Brazil and some other countries refused to recognize its independence while the USA, Canada, Australia and most of the EU maintain diplomatic relations with the Republic.