Vucic to Quint ambassadors, EU Delegation head: Talk some sense into Kurti

TANJUG/ JADRANKA ILIĆ

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met Tuesday in Belgrade with ambassadors of Quint countries (US, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy) and with the head of the European Union (EU) Delegation in Serbia, while the latest escalation of violence in Kosovo was the only item on the agenda.

“Vucic expressed great dissatisfaction and strong concern over the fact that a part of the international community continues to tolerate unilateral actions by Pristina, which lead to violence against the Serb community, the result of which is a decreasing number of options that could ensure to long-lasting peace and stability in the region,” said a press release issued by the President’s Office.

It said the President informed the foreign officials about the timeline of developments on Monday in which a large number of Serb community members were wounded who had “assembled to express dissatisfaction over the illegal raids of Serb buildings by (Kosovo Prime Minister Albin) Kurti’s forces, but also over the shaken trust in KFOR which, despite the guarantees, failed to protect the Serbs and to prevent the illegal and violent takeover of local self-governments.

Vucic said “it is high time a part of the international community finally reacted sharply, clearly and unambiguously to the Pristina institutions’ policy and protected the Serbs from increasingly strong pressures and brutal violence carried out in full view of all the mechanisms the role of which is, among other things, to protect that community“.

The Serbian President expressed regrets over the wounding of KFOR troops, but pointed out that a far greater number of Serbs have been injured, that firearms and great physical force had been used against them despite the fact that they offered non-violent resistance from the very start, said the press release.

In the current situation, preservation of peace is of key importance, said Vucic, adding that the safety of the Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija (Kosovo and Metohija is the official name for what the Serbian authorities consider to be the country’s southern province) is a priority and that he expects the Quint countries, which have the most influence on Pristina, to immediately adopt and implement measures guaranteeing the safety of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, as a prerequisite for any further talks with the representatives of the interim institutions in Pristina.

Vucic stressed that Kurti “must withdraw his special units, because the Serbs will never accept his occupation.”

“I hope you will manage to talk some sense into Kurti so that he withdraws his forces and personal mayors from the North,” said the Serbian President.

Vucic emphasized that Serbia will continue communication with NATO/KFOR representatives in the best faith to preserve peace and stability.

The Quint ambassadors and the head of the EU delegation in Serbia expressed concern over the escalation of violence in Kosovo and attacks on KFOR troops. They called on the parties to return to dialogue so as to find a political way out of the situation, said the press release.

The meeting was also attended by Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic and Chief of Staff General Milan Mojsilovic.

Vucic called on the Kosovo Serbs Monday not to enter into conflict with NATO, and on the Quint countries and the international community “to talk some sense into” Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Some 50 Serbs and over 25 KFOR troops were wounded Monday in Zvecan, northern Kosovo, in clashes between KFOR and Kosovo Serbs who had assembled to prevent newly elected Kosovo Albanian mayors from entering municipal administration buildings in Kosovo North.