Deputy Assistant Secretary General NATO for partnerships, Kevin Hamilton said in Pristina that the Alliance will not deepen certain aspects of cooperation with Serbia until accountability is secured for the 2023 incidents in northern Kosovo, including the attack in Banjska and the clashes in Zvečan.
Hamilton told reporters in Pristina that he conveyed the same message to officials in Belgrade during his recent visit to Serbia.
"Attacks on members of KFOR they were completely unacceptable. "NATO expects responsibility and justice for those who carried out and organized those attacks," said Hamilton, according to Koha.
He stated that NATO wants transparent and positive relations with Serbia, but that certain segments of cooperation cannot progress without prosecuting those responsible for the incidents from 2023.
"There are aspects that cannot go forward until there is accountability for these attacks. That is the message I conveyed to my interlocutors in Serbia and the ball is now in their court," said Hamilton.
Russia is spreading disinformation.
According to him, this also refers to the possibility of Serbia switching to an individually tailored partnership program with NATO.
Hamilton cited the armed conflict as particularly problematic Spa and the events of May 29, 2023 in Zvečan, when around 90 KFOR members were injured during a protest in front of the municipality.
Speaking about the security situation in the Western Balkans, Hamilton accused Russia of spreading disinformation and fomenting division through hybrid activities.
"Russia is using disinformation campaigns and hybrid activities to foment division and discontent, not only in the Western Balkans but around the world," he said.
Hamilton called on the citizens of the region to be vigilant against disinformation and cyber threats, stating that NATO is cooperating with Kosovo institutions to strengthen resilience and protection against hybrid attacks.
He added that NATO has had a "strong relationship" with Kosovo for more than 27 years, but that the focus of the Alliance at the moment is not Kosovo's membership, but the preservation of security and stability through dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina with the mediation of the European Union.
Source: FoNet
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