NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday 5 December that Kosovo's decision to transform its security forces (KSF) into an army was "an ill-timed decision" and "a complicating factor" in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.
Before the press, at the end of the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting, he recalled that a change in the mandate of the forces must be in accordance with the Constitution, expressing concern that this change is being made without an inclusive process.
The creation of a national army would require a constitutional amendment, which would require the support of the Serb minority. To avoid a constitutional change, the Kosovar government wants to strengthen the mandate of the KSF, which is poorly armed, to turn it into an army. This transformation was approved by the Kosovar Parliament on 11 October and is expected to take place within 10 years.
Mr Stoltenberg recalled that NATO was supporting the Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) under their current mandate. He therefore warned that, if the KSF's mandate were to evolve, the North Atlantic Council should "review NATO's level of engagement", specifying that the type of consequences that this could have should be decided by the Alliance.
NATO, as part of KFOR, which currently has about 4,000 troops, has contributed to the creation of the Kosovo security forces. However, the Secretary General of the Alliance has not questioned KFOR's presence in the country: "NATO will continue to be present in Kosovo - we have our KFOR operation there which is important for stability and KFOR will continue to be impartial helping to make sure that we have the necessary stability and security to see progress on the political efforts to find a politically negotiated solution."
More generally, Mr Stoltenberg called on Kosovo, but also on Serbia, to reduce tensions and refrain from provocative speeches or actions. He also recalled the Alliance's support for the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, facilitated by the EU, because "that’s the only way to solve the outstanding issues". He did not wish to comment on a possible "adjustment" of borders, stating only that both parties should find a solution acceptable to both. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)