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Italian Army officials guarantee Serbs’ security in Kosovo
16 September 2008
Belgrade/Rome, Sept 16, 2008- State Secretary at the Serbian Ministry of Defence Dusan Spasojevic said today in Rome that Italian Army officials guaranteed strongly the security of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija and the Serbian delegation protested because KFOR instructs Kosovo’s illegal security forces.
Spasojevic, heading the Defence Ministry delegation in Italy which is organised on the initiative of Undersecretary of Defence Giuseppe Cossiga, said that in the conversation with Chief of Defence General Staff Vincenzo Camporini, they realised that the governments of the two countries strongly disagree on the Kosovo-Metohija issue.
He expressed satisfaction since both Cossiga and Camporini strongly guaranteed the security of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, which Cossiga repeated at the press conference.
Our delegation protested because KFOR started instructing Kosovo’s illegal security forces. Serbia simply cannot accept that on its territory some paramilitary unit is being formed, stressed the Secretary of State in his statement to the Tanjug news agency.
He added that those paramilitary units and forces do not represent a serious threat to Serbian Army, but they are a serious threat to the stability of the entire region.
According to Spasojevic, the fact that Italy considers Serbian efforts to protect its own rights through the initiative before the International Court of Justice legitimate is encouraging. That was also one of the key themes of today’s talks.
Spasojevic added that it is also encouraging that some Italian interlocutors understand our position and have the opinion that the EULEX mission in Kosovo-Metohija can only function if it has a full mandate from the UN Security Council.
He reminded that the Italian Army and Serbian forces traditionally have good relations and in the past several years they signed the Defence Agreement in 2003.
The Secretary of State said that they discussed the military medicine cooperation with Italian officials and reminded that there is traditional cooperation in preparation of common education practices.
At this moment, there are five Serbian military-school students at Italian military academies and three Serbian officers at the most prestigious Italian military schools, specified Spasojevic.
He hailed the adoption of our delegation’s requirement to secure one more place at the War College in Rome.
He expressed satisfaction since both Cossiga and Camporini strongly guaranteed the security of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, which Cossiga repeated at the press conference.
Our delegation protested because KFOR started instructing Kosovo’s illegal security forces. Serbia simply cannot accept that on its territory some paramilitary unit is being formed, stressed the Secretary of State in his statement to the Tanjug news agency.
He added that those paramilitary units and forces do not represent a serious threat to Serbian Army, but they are a serious threat to the stability of the entire region.
According to Spasojevic, the fact that Italy considers Serbian efforts to protect its own rights through the initiative before the International Court of Justice legitimate is encouraging. That was also one of the key themes of today’s talks.
Spasojevic added that it is also encouraging that some Italian interlocutors understand our position and have the opinion that the EULEX mission in Kosovo-Metohija can only function if it has a full mandate from the UN Security Council.
He reminded that the Italian Army and Serbian forces traditionally have good relations and in the past several years they signed the Defence Agreement in 2003.
The Secretary of State said that they discussed the military medicine cooperation with Italian officials and reminded that there is traditional cooperation in preparation of common education practices.
At this moment, there are five Serbian military-school students at Italian military academies and three Serbian officers at the most prestigious Italian military schools, specified Spasojevic.
He hailed the adoption of our delegation’s requirement to secure one more place at the War College in Rome.
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