Kosovo PM says new army will serve world peace
991 views · Published 15 December 2018 · 4:41 · Indexed 20 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(10 Dec 2018) The prime minister of Kosovo says the army the country expects to have soon will be a modest contributor to creating world peace. Kosovo's lawmaker's are set to vote on Friday December 14 on three laws that would transform the national security force into a regular army. The measures are expected to pass the 120-seat parliament easily. Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said on Monday that the transformation would make Kosovo a provider and not only a beneficiary of peace. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg last week described Kosovo's intention to move ahead with the transformation of the Kosovo security force into an army as "ill-timed" and going against the advice of many NATO allies. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a move Serbia doesn't recognize. Serbia's president has said the new army could jeopardize regional stability and peace. During the 1998-99 war for independence in Kosovo, Serbia's bloody crackdown on separatists prompted NATO to launch airstrikes to stop the conflict. Haradinaj also commented on tariffs the country has put on goods from Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina saying it was "a decision to defend ourself, to protect ourself for an aggression, a continued aggression of Serbia backed by Bosnia." The tariffs came into force in November and do not apply to international brands produced in the two neighbouring countries. "These tariffs will be taken off only when Kosovo and Serbia have signed a comprehensive agreement, a legally binding agreement of recognition," Haradinaj said. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/cc3cf606d54d1bc8425cfd62ac904b10
