DefenseNews, June 30, 2005
NATO, Serbia Increase Cooperation along Kosovo Border
Senior military officials from Serbia-Monetnegro on a ground-breaking visit to Kosovo have reached agreement with the NATO-led force there (KFOR) to increase cooperation to cut illegal activities along the border between the province and Serbia, KFOR said June 30.
The delegation was led by Serbia-Montenegro’s Defense Minister Prvoslav Davinic. It was the first time such a high level meeting has taken place in Kosovo, which has been controlled by the U.N. and NATO since June 1999 following NATO’s air war against Yugoslavia, which forced then president Slobodan Milosevic to withdraw his troops from the Albanian-dominated province.
"Synchronized patrols are (already) being conducted with Serbia and Montenegro Joint Security Forces at an adequate level. These patrols could be seen as signs of enhanced cooperation from both sides," a statement from KFOR said, adding that the two sides had also agreed to stage a helicopter medical evacuation exercise in the coming weeks.
"It (the meeting) shows the improved and good cooperation between KFOR and Serbia and Montenegro armed forces," the statement said.
The military technical agreement signed between NATO and then Yugoslavia in 1999 provided for high level meetings between officials and for technical discussions about security arrangements between KFOR and Serbia and Montenegro.
The meetings have up to now been held in Serbia and Montenegro.
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