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NATO continues to help maintain security in Kosovo: Rasmussen

04 July 2013 03:18 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was on a visit to Kosovo, said on Wednesday that NATO would continue to play a stabilizing role in the region, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Rasmussen made it clear that KFOR, alongside the EU Rule of Law mission, will continue to guarantee security and will stand by "to deal with any attempts to undermine the progress that has been made".

During a joint press conference with Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Taci, Rasmussen encouraged all the leaders and people from all communities to continue on the path of reconciliation and dialogue.

"I welcome the landmark agreement on relations normalization between Belgrade and Pristina", said Rasmussen referring to the agreement reached on April 19 between Hasim Taci and Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, facilitated by EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton.

He underscored that the agreement offers the hope of a better life, and a better future for people across the region.

However, certain skepticism on the implementation of the agreement still prevails as most of the agreement deals with the north of Kosovo, in which Serb-dominated population reject Pristina institutions.

Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians account for 90 percent of its 2 million people, unilaterlly announced independence from Serbia in Februry of 2008. Its independence was vehemently disallowed by Serbia.