There is no change in KFOR's security plans in Kosovo, stated the Albanian Minister of Defense, Ermal Nufi.
He said that this was confirmed to him in meetings he had in Brussels with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, but also with the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Giuseppe Vaco Dragone.
In these meetings, he added that he raised concerns about the level of security in Kosovo but also in the region.
He made these statements after his visit and meeting with his counterpart from Kosovo, Ejup Maqedonci.
After the meeting, Minister Maqedonci said that they discussed building military capacities and cooperation in terms of defense with Albania, reports kp.
"We also discussed the possibilities of deepening cooperation in other areas, including the defense industry, an extremely important and necessary sector for the times we are living in, and in the coming days and months we will work more broadly and more deeply in identifying opportunities for cooperation in this area. I am grateful to the minister for all his willingness to support Kosovo on the path of NATO integration, for the promotion of Kosovo within NATO and other organizations that Albania does, but in particular the Minister of Defense, as well as in the regional cooperation we have with both Croatia and Albania in this regard," he said.
He spoke about what cooperation with Albania could be in the field of military industry.
"We have already made a contract for a factory for the production of ammunition, we are also in coordination with other partners on the issue of co-production. When we talk about cooperation with the Republic of Albania, in the field of the defense industry we are talking about two directions. It is co-production, we will look at the possibilities in which areas we can co-produce and this will be done in the upcoming period when we will create both groups and teams that will work on identifying what we can co-produce together, so that we are both interoperable in the operational aspect and in co-procurement of systems that make us interoperable", he added.
Albanian Defense Minister Ermal Nufi said that “the Republic of Albania stands shoulder to shoulder with Kosovo.” He said that cooperation with Kosovo is essential for increasing capacities and guaranteeing the security of both countries.
He also spoke about the level of security in Kosovo, which he said was guaranteed to him in meetings he had in Brussels.
"Albania has raised security concerns in the region, especially security in Kosovo, we have expressed our concerns in relation to the security situation, emphasizing that the security situation in Kosovo is directly a security situation for the Republic of Kosovo and any development and any possible implication in Kosovo brings a concern to the Republic of Albania in terms of security. In both meetings, both with Mr. Rutte and with Mr. Dragone, it was confirmed that there is no change, at least to date, in KFOR's security plans regarding KFOR's engagement in the Republic of Kosovo. I believe that all other developments will be addressed within the framework of the cooperation that we have in the alliance. I believe that the security situation in Kosovo, as long as we do all our homework, both in Kosovo and within the alliance, continues to remain stable. We have certainly conveyed the concerns, we are hopeful and confident that full attention is paid to the security situation in the region, but also the security situation in the region, but also the security situation in Kosovo," he said. him.
The Albanian Minister of Defense was also asked about the arming of Serbia by China, to which he said that this belongs to this country.
"The Republic of Serbia decides on its own whether to arm itself or not or how it considers its security issues. Albania as a member of NATO, but also Kosovo as long as we have the KFOR mission, and the approach and evocation that the Government of Kosovo itself has regarding security, I believe that all security strategies are in full compliance and coordination with NATO, which is also the cornerstone of the security guarantee not only in Kosovo but also in the region, as long as most of the countries in the region are NATO member states," he said.
Kosovo and Albania will send their troops to Gaza, as part of the International Stabilization Force envisaged with the establishment of the Peace Board of US President Donald Trump.
Minister Nufi said that the number of troops that will be sent to Gaza has not yet been determined.
"Albania and Kosovo have undertaken to be part of Gaza. We are in the very early stages, we are still examining and observing the territory where our troops can be deployed. I believe that in the future we will be able to give you an accurate answer about how many troops will go, how they will go. Albania has many years of experience in engaging in international missions, starting from Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia and many other countries," he said.
The Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, welcomed his Albanian counterpart, Ermal Nufi, with a military ceremony.
After the reception, they held a meeting at the Ministry of Defense premises. /kp
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