NATO's top commander disappointed with the tempo of Kosovo recognitions
NATO’s top commander, US General Bantz Craddock said on Thursday he was disappointed by the number of countries which have recognized Kosovo’s secession so far.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Friday, April 11, 2008
"Only 34 countries have recognized Kosovo...This is a bit disappointing," general Craddock said, warning that NATO troops in Kosovo have been exposed to the tense situation.
General Craddock was the commander of U.S. forces for the initial phase of operations in Kosovo in June 1999.
Meanwhile, British Conservative MEP and foreign affairs committee member Geoffrey Van Orden said he believed greater autonomy for Kosovo within Serbia would have been a better solution, strengthening reformists in Serbia and improving Western relations with Russia
"I'm not happy personally about the outcome in Kosovo. I'm not sure that was the best we could come to and I think we should have tried harder to find a way to give Kosovo greater autonomy within Serbia", Van Orden said.
"We are not dealing with a Serbia ruled by Milosevic, we are dealing with a democratically elected government in Serbia, and it seems very strange, that now that we have a democratically elected government, that we kick them in the most sensitive place", the British MEP said.
