From the event

14 Mar 2008

NATO Secretary General visits Kosovo

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, accompanied by senior NATO military officials, travelled to Kosovo on 14 March 2008 to assess the security situation.

In Pristina, the Secretary General met with President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

Mr. de Hoop Scheffer also met with Commander KFOR Lieutenant General Xavier de Marnhac, as well as with the heads of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the International Civilian Office (ICO) and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX).

The Secretary General met with the Mayor of Mitrovica, Bajram Rexhepi, and visited the Serb community of Gojbulja.

He also met with NATO soldiers at Gate One in the north of Kosovo.

The Secretary General stressed that NATO KFOR is in Kosovo to ensure a safe and secure environment throughout Kosovo under UNSCR 1244.

Mr. de Hoop Scheffer congratulated the Kosovar Albanian leadership for the restraint and moderation shown by the vast majority of Kosovars and urged them to continue in this way.