The Kosovo conflict has been escalating for days. Most recently, Pristina accused Belgrade of using the military to advance towards the border. The Foreign Minister appeals to Serbia.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has warned of a further escalation in the Kosovo conflict. “There must be no further escalation between Serbia and Kosovo. The political process must be continued. And at this point I also appeal to Serbia to reduce its troops on the border,” said the Green politician at the small Green party conference in Munich.
The security of Kosovo is of central importance for Germany. There is a need for peace, “security and freedom for all people.”
Conflict continues to escalate
The conflict between Serbia and Kosovo has been assuming threatening proportions for days. Pristina accused Belgrade of advancing its military towards Kosovo – from “three different directions”. This emerges from a statement from the Kosovo government on Saturday evening, which was also sent to the German Press Agency via email. The advance serves “a possible military aggression against the Republic of Kosovo.”
On Friday, Serbia sent military and police to 48 forward operating bases along the border with Kosovo, in Serbian territory, a few kilometers from the Kosovo border. Serbia deployed anti-aircraft systems and heavy artillery. Kosovo, in coordination with international partners, is “more determined than ever to protect territorial integrity,” the government statement said.
USA is concerned – Vucic denies it
Serbian President Aleksander Vucic denied any intention of a military strike against Kosovo in an interview with the Financial Times on Saturday. On Friday, Washington expressed concern about the buildup of Serbian troops on the border with Kosovo. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on the phone with Vucic, who, however, denied the deployment of large troops and spoke of “untruths”.
The trigger for the new tensions was the attack last Sunday by a 30-man, heavily armed Serbian commando squad on Kosovar police officers in the town of Banjska near Mitrovica in northern Kosovo. Three Serbian attackers and a Kosovar police officer were killed.
Source: Stern
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