NATO warns against violence in Kosovo

NATO warns against violence in Kosovo

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Friday warned against violence in Kosovo, saying the NATO force in the Serbian province will do what is necessary to keep peace and stability.
"Let nobody, who might be thinking of resorting to violence during this very sensitive period, have the illusion that they will not be met by a stiff response," he told a press conference.
"It is essential that everybody in Kosovo stays calm."
NATO defense ministers discussed the alliance's role in Kosovo as the UN Security Council is deciding the final status of the Serbian province.
"We support the speedy acceptance of a UN Security Council resolution based on the proposals made by (UN envoy) Martti Ahtisaari," he said.
NATO spokesman James Appathurai said earlier on Friday that NATO still sticks to "Plan A" -- a UN Security Council resolution.
"Nobody wants a situation in which there would be no Security Council resolution, because this would risk differences in views .. . within Europe and potentially within NATO," he told reporters.
But he added that NATO plans for all eventualities. "NATO is very good at planning," he quipped.
In a final communique, the defense ministers also warned against potential violence if a UN Security Council resolution is delayed.
"NATO will not tolerate any threats to a safe and secure environment in Kosovo and will react swiftly and resolutely to any provocations."
The ministers called on all actors in Kosovo to behave in a moderate and responsible manner.
They also asked the ethnic Albanian authorities to safeguard minority and community rights and protect historical and religious sites.
Kosovo was put under UN administration in 1999 after NATO airstrikes drove Serbian troops out of the province. Serbs want the province to remain in Serbia. But ethnic Albanians, who make up of over 90 percent of the population, favors immediate independence. The West supports the Ahtisaari plan, which opens way for Kosovo independence. But Russia has vowed to veto a UN Security Council resolution based on Ahtisaari's plan.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Friday warned against violence in Kosovo, saying the NATO force in the Serbian province will do what is necessary to keep peace and stability.