Petkovic: Situation in Kosovo-Metohija more than serious, de-escalation needed

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic warned at a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Belgrade Li Ming on Friday the situation in Kosovo-Metohija was more than serious and urged a soonest possible de-escalation through a withdrawal of the so-called Kosovo Police from the north of the province and establishment of Kfor protection for local Serbs.

"Both sides need to return to dialogue as soon as possible and a Community of Serb Municipalities must be established immediately as a guarantor of the collective and individual rights of the Serbs, as envisioned by the Brussels Agreement, which the Pristina authorities have been thwarting for over ten years," Petkovic said.

Petkovic informed the ambassador of the current situation in the province and noted Belgrade's commitment to dialogue and efforts to preserve peace and stability despite the many escalatory moves by Pristina.

He underscored that Albin Kurti's daily violence and terror against Serbs in the north of Kosovo-Metohija were evidently aimed at expelling them from the province, and said Belgrade had drawn that to the attention of the international community countless times in the past, warning of the possible consequences and an escalation of the situation on the ground.

Unfortunately, that is what happened on September 24, he said.

"The only source of all problems and instability in Kosovo-Metohija is Albin Kurti with his policy of provocations, unilateral actions, arbitrary arrests of our countrymen and illegitimate actions by his special police, for which there is no place in the north under any agreement," Petkovic said.

Welcoming the ambassador and wishing him a pleasant stay in Serbia, Petkovic thanked China for the firm and unwavering support to Serbia's fight to protect its state and national interests in Kosovo-Metohija and noted that Serbia would remain an equally dependable friend and partner to China, cherishing the steely friendship between the Serbs and the Chinese.