[Serbian]

Britain to pull out most peacekeepers from Kosovo

PRISTINA, March 4 (Reuters) - Britain will pull out almost all of its peacekeeping troops from Kosovo by September, it said in a statement on Wednesday, citing better security there.

"Our current force of 167 personnel will be drawn down to a small number of posts between the end of March 2009 and 1 September 2009," said a statement from the British embassy in Pristina.

"Our drawdown reflects the changed circumstances in Kosovo, in particular the improved security situation," it said.

Local media has reported in recent weeks that NATO was looking to reduce the number of its peacekeeping troops.

About 55,000 NATO-led peacekeepers were deployed to preserve the fragile peace in Kosovo after the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia ended in 1999. Over the years the number of troops has been reduced to 15,000. (Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; Editing by Adam Tanner; Editing by Louise Ireland)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/homepa...8418._CH_.2420

But then

NATO denies troop cuts in Kosovo

March 04, 2009 10:49 AM
BRUSSELS, Mar 04, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX News Network) -- NATO on Wednesday denied that it will cut its troops in Kosovo (KFOR), saying there is no such a plan.

"There is no plan and no decision for any reductions to KFOR," said NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer through his spokesman James Appathurai.

"Those who are speculating on any reductions to KFOR, including those in uniform, do not speak for NATO on this issue," said the NATO chief.

"Any changes to KFOR will only be made on the basis of a political decision by all allies. Such a decision will only be taken if all allies are assured that a possible reduction of KFOR will not jeopardize the safety and security of Kosovo. And that time has not come," said de Hoop Scheffer.

The NATO chief was obviously responding to remarks by KFOR commander Italian General Giuseppe Emilio Gay that KFOR troop numbers will be cut this year.

"We are in the phase of reducing our troops and this will happen in every corner of Kosovo," Gay told reporters on Tuesday in the Kosovar capital of Pristina.

The NATO-led KFOR has 15,450 troops today. KFOR entered Kosovo in 1999 under a UN mandate. NATO decided to keep the peacekeepers in the region to deter violence that may arise from the unilateral declaration of Kosovo from Serbia in February 2008.

They all need to go , they have done enough damage already.