Serbia slams US, threatens Kosovo with military action

Serbia has threatened a possible armed intervention in Kosovo whose parliament on Friday overwhelmingly approved the formation of an army.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denounced the United States for its support of a Kosovo army and praised allies Russia and China for their opposition to the move.

Vucic visited Serbian troops near the border with Kosovo, saying the decision has brought Belgrade “to the edge” and left no choice for Serbia but to “defend” itself.

NATO’s chief also called the action by Kosovo “ill-timed,” but the US approved it as “Kosovo’s sovereign right” as an independent nation that unilaterally broke away from Serbia in 2008.

All 107 lawmakers present in the 120-seat Kosovo parliament on Friday voted to expand an existing 4,000 Kosovo Security Force and turn it into a regular, lightly armed army. Ethnic Serb lawmakers boycotted the vote.

“This vote today begins a new era for our country," said parliamentary speaker Kadri Veseli. Kosovo's President Hashim Thaci said the vote was "the best gift for the end of the year season.”

A US embassy statement in Pristina promised to support “the gradual transition" to a force with a territorial defense mandate and urged Kosovo to continue “close coordination with NATO allies and partners."

Though it will take years for the small Balkan country to build its own army, the move which is supported by the West, specially the United States and the United Kingdom, has infuriated Serbians. 

President Vucic called Washington as the “sponsor” of the move, saying that the US administration aims to “quash” the Serbs but that he won’t allow it.

An adviser to the president, Nikola Selakovic, also threatened that Belgrade could send in armed forces or declare Kosovo an occupied territory.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said his country will seek an urgent session of the United Nations Security Council over the move.

Late Friday, the Security Council held closed consultations on the format of a meeting, possibly on Monday or Tuesday.

According to council diplomats, Russia — a close ally of Serbia — wants an open meeting to be addressed by Serbia’s president, but European counties demanded a closed session.

Russia calls on NATO to disarm any Kosovo army

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavro immediately reacted to the decision, calling on US-lead NATO alliance to “take urgent and exhaustive measures to demilitarize and disband any armed Kosovar-Albanian formations."

Muslim-majority Kosovo, which gained independence back in 2008, was a former Serbian province.

It is currently recognized by 117 countries as an independent state, including the United States and most members of the European Union. Five EU members, Serbia and Russia, however, refuse to recognize it as a sovereign nation.

The decision to create an independent army has even prompted reaction from NATO, which has already 4,000 troops, known as Kfor, in the country.

The Western alliance’s chief Jens Stoltenberg called the move as “ill-timed,” saying it “goes against the advice of many NATO allies and may have serious repercussions for Kosovo's future Euro-Atlantic integration.”

“I reiterate my call on both Pristina and Belgrade to remain calm and refrain from any statements or actions which may lead to escalation,” Stoltenberg said.

The NATO chief said the alliance remained committed “to a safe and secure environment in Kosovo" but that it would “re-examine the level of NATO’s engagement with the Kosovo Security Force.”

Kosovo's authorities promised that the army would not threaten peace in the region. "Kosovo's army will never be used against them (Serbs)," said Prime Minister Ramus Haradinaj.

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