Gates: US troops to stay in Kosovo until at least late 2009
The United States will keep troops in Kosovo until at least late 2009, Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday, underlining support for the NATO peacekeeping operation
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Gates, making the highest-level U.S. visit to Pristina since it declared independence, said the aim of his trip was to visit U.S. soldiers. No U.S. defence secretary has been to Kosovo since 2001.
He rejected suggestions that the trip was meant to send any message to Russia , which opposed Kosovo's independence and has been locked in conflict with the West since going to war with Georgia in August. Russia has since recognized Georgia 's breakaway regions as independent, a move widely seen as a response to the U.S. position on Kosovo.
"I don't consider Kosovo Russia 's backyard," Gates told reporters when asked how Russia should respond to his visit.
"My primary purpose in going to Kosovo is to visit the American troops there."
Later this week, European Union Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn will also visit Pristina.
He will attend the ceremony of the inauguration of the European Commission (EC) Liaison Office in Pristina on Thursday and have talks with the president and the prime minister of the Kosovo institutions, Fatmir Sejdiu and Hashim Thaci.
