Serbia not to use violance if Kosovo declares independence

Photo: Serbia not to use violance if Kosovo declares independence

Serbia not to use violance if Kosovo declares independence

German defense minister said Friday that Serbia would not use valance if Kosovo declared independence.

Franz Josef Jung said that he had received assurances from his Serbian colleague, Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac.

"The Serbian side does not want to use or provoke violence," he said.

Kosovo has been administered by the U.N. Nations since a NATO-led bombardment in 1999 halted a Serb crackdown, but it is still formally a part of Serbia . Its population is 90 percent ethnic Albanians.

The U.S. and EU nations have urged Kosovo's Albanian leadership to hold off on their planned declaration of independence until after the Serbian presidential elections in January.

Jung's comments came after a meeting with NATO's top commander, U.S. Gen. John Craddock, where the two discussed Germany's mission in Kosovo and also Afghanistan.

Craddock thanked Germany for its contribution to training Afghanistan's military, and also for the Tornado reconnaissance jets it has made available.

"They are greatly appreciated and a valuable asset to the ISAF mission," Craddock said.