Thaci says Kosovo prepared to defend its territorial integrity

27/02/2008

Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has condemned Belgrade's reaction to Kosovo’s Independence, while also trying to calm the fears of Serbs and persuade them that they have a place in newly-independent Kosovo

By Blerta Foniqi-Kabashi for Southeast European Times in Pristina -- 27/02/08

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci (right), UNMIK head Joachim Ruecker (centre) and KFOR Commander Lieutenant General Xavier de Marnhac hold a press conference following a meeting Monday (February 25th) in Pristina. [Laura Hasani]

Responding to Serbian statements that the country will govern areas of Kosovo, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci stressed on Tuesday (February 26th) that Kosovo is prepared to defend its territory.

"I am constantly in contact with NATO to prevent anyone from touching even one inch of Kosovo's territory," Thaci said, according to Reuters. "We understand and respect peaceful reactions, guaranteed by the law, but we will not allow the territorial integrity of Kosovo to be compromised."

Thaci made the statement during a visit to the central village of Racak, where Serbian forces killed Kosovar Albanians in 1999 before NATO intervened. He was reacting to statements Monday made by Serbian government officials, who insisted Belgrade will continue to govern areas in Kosovo that have a majority Serb population.

While condemning Belgrade's stance, Thaci has also been trying to calm the fears of Serbs and persuade them that they have a place in newly-independent Kosovo. On Sunday, he called on them to trust the Kosovo institutions.

"I will help Serbs integrate into the new state of Kosovo," Thaci said, stressing that KFOR and the Kosovo Police Service have the situation under control. "There is no reason to panic."

Referring to protests staged in Serbia and in Serb enclaves, he termed these "naïve". Such demonstrations "do not have any correlation with Serbian citizens of Kosovo", he said.

On Tuesday, meanwhile, EU Special Representative in Kosovo Peter Feith said he won't bow to pressure aimed at impeding the deployment of the EU mission, EULEX. The mission's head, Lieutenant General Yves de Kermabon, added that he expects the mission to start deploying to northern Kosovo next week.

The EU will wait a little longer to see how things develop, Kermabon said, but EULEX will deploy to the turbulent north. He said the EU will have 800 policemen in Kosovo by mid-June.

Last week, Feith temporarily withdrew all staff from the northern Serb-dominated part of Kosovo due to security concerns related to Kosovar Serbs' demonstrations and the possible escalation of violence there.

"We have temporarily brought back our personnel, but we will maintain our office in the north," Feith told reporters during a visit in Prizren.