Serbia calls British arms deliveries to Kosovo unfriendly

BELGRADE, April 17 (Sputnik) – The Serbian Minister of the Interior, Aleksandar Vulin, has declared that the delivery of arms by the United Kingdom to the unilaterally proclaimed Republic of Kosovo is an unfriendly move towards Serbia.

Earlier, the media agency Vecernje Novosti reported that London had sent Javelin anti-tank missile systems, as well as NLAW anti-tank guided missiles, to Pristina. According to media sources, 50 pieces have already been delivered, and it is expected that another 20 will be delivered, in addition to training Kosovo fighters in the use of these systems. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is expected to ask British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for an official explanation within the next 48 hours.

I think the delivery of arms to Kosovar Albanians by the UK is an unfriendly move, because you cannot arm terrorists and hope for peace. The Serbian Interior Ministry quoted Vulin as saying.

The Minister noted that “according to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, the only armed forces in Kosovo and Metojia are KFOR (Kosovo International Security Force)”.

“You are creating an army, arming them, giving them armored vehicles, anti-tank systems, drones, conducting training, we hear that you are sending them to trial courses in Turkey and Albania,” he said, stressing that the rapprochement and integration of Kosovo into NATO is only intended to “provoke Serbia.”

Last March, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, asked NATO to join the military bloc due to the situation in Ukraine.

In 1999, an armed confrontation between Albanian separatists from the Kosovo Liberation Army and the Serbian army and police led to the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, then composed of Serbia and Montenegro.

On February 17, 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia.

Currently, Kosovo’s independence has been ratified by the United States, Canada and most members of the European Union, but it is not recognized by Serbia, Russia, China, Spain, Greece, Iran and other countries. (Sputnik)