NATO boosts military presence in Kosovo

24/01/2008

PRISTINA, Kosovo, Serbia -- NATO is boosting its number of troops in Kosovo, a spokesman for KFOR said on Wednesday (January 23rd). An Italian battalion of 560 soldiers has begun to deploy for a mission that would last until early March. The spokesman said the extra troops will train in the province on a regular basis but will also demonstrate the Alliance's capability to send reinforcements to its missions around the world.

Separately, Romania announced that is ready to deploy about 175 policemen and gendarmes to Kosovo as part of the EU's planned special mission to the province. Serbian Prime Minister Vojsilav Kostunica reiterated on Wednesday that the EU mission would be "illegal" without UN authorisation.

In other news, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Wednesday that Kosovo's independence could trigger a chain reaction in an estimated 200 areas around the globe. "If we allow someone to do something, many others will expect the same treatment," he said. (AFP, Euronews, DW, Svoboda radio, Mediafax, Beta, RTS, Xinhua, Tanjug, Kosovalive, RFE, RTK, Balkanweb - 23/01/08)