NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has reaffirmed that the NATO-led KFOR mission will remain in Kosovo regardless of developments surrounding the expected verdict in The Hague involving four former senior Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commanders.
Rutte made the remarks at a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels after a Reuters journalist asked about developments in Kosovo ahead of the expected announcement of the verdict on Wednesday.
“KFOR is there,” Rutte said, stressing that the mission’s role is to contribute to stability and peace in Kosovo.
“KFOR is there to make sure that NATO continues to contribute to stability and peace. And that needs to be done over the years, as you know, by enabling significant economic and also social development,” he said.
Rutte emphasized that KFOR has provided a safe and stable environment in Kosovo for more than two decades and said NATO’s commitment would remain in place regardless of developments during the week.
“This has already been, for more than two decades, a safe and stable environment for all the people of Kosovo. That applies today, regardless of what news may come this week or in the period ahead, but also in terms of the long-term commitment to peace and security in Kosovo,” Rutte said.
He added that NATO’s long-term commitment to Kosovo would continue, while noting that the Alliance would continue assessing the most appropriate configuration of the KFOR mission.
“This means continuously assessing what the best configuration of KFOR is and how it can best adapt to the concrete situation. And that is Kosovo, but of course it also has an impact on the whole region,” Rutte said.
The remarks come as Kosovo awaits the verdict in the war crimes and crimes against humanity case involving former KLA leaders Hashim Thaçi, Kadri Veseli, Rexhep Selimi and Jakup Krasniqi at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.
Rutte’s comments underscore NATO’s position that KFOR’s mandate and presence are based on the broader objective of maintaining peace and security in Kosovo and are not dependent on the outcome of any individual judicial proceeding.
