Vucic says Serbia has no interest in Kosovo escalation

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
30 Sep 2023 23:52

Serbian President Alexander Vucic responds to US White House National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby, saying "Serbia does not want war."

In this photo provided by the Serbian Presidential Press Service, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic listens to a question during a press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. (AP)

There is no intention to order the increasing of armed forces at the Serbia-Kosovo border as claimed by the US White House National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby, on Friday, according to the Serbian President Alexander Vucic.

While Kirby urged Belgrade to withdraw troops stationed near the border, Vucic said that he is willing to cut the number of Serbian forces deployed by the Kosovo border in an attempt to avert possible escalation.

The Serbian President, according to the Financial Times, said "Why this would be beneficial for Belgrade? What would be the idea? To destroy our position we have been building for a year? To destroy this in a day? Serbia does not want war."

Vucic says Belgrade 'must adhere to the truth' despite US warning

"There are a few things we agreed on and a few we disagreed on," said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who described his phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier on Friday as "long" and "difficult".

According to the Serbian President, the two "agreed that de-escalation and a greater role of KFOR are needed, and Serbia always supports their greater role in Kosovo and Metohija, we would like it to be exceptional, especially in the north of Kosovo and Metohija."

On the other hand, Vucic said "What we disagree on was the nature of the recent events, especially in relation to so-called Kosovo sovereignty, which I affirmed Serbia was rejecting."

Moreover, the President underscored that he rejected Blinken's allegations that the Serbian army has been ordered to be on high alert which would require a presidential order he had not signed on.

Vucic also noted that they disagreed on how things went down on September 24 stressing the increased number of civilian casualties saying he "could not agree that this was an excellently, professionally implemented operation, and also raised the question as to why the EU's EULEX mission was not in the north [of Kosovo]."

Blinken, according to the Serbian President, also warned of consequences if Serbia were to "misbehave". Vucic, however, according to the reports, said the US was free to do what it finds fit while Belgrade "must adhere to the truth."

It is important to note that Serbia has not recognized Kosovo's independence and continues to refer to it as its autonomous region of Kosovo and Metohija.