When will it be known if Kosovo is to have a defence force after status resolution?

September has been mentioned as the month when the Steering Committee of the ISSR (Internal Sector Security Review) should decide on how security structures in Kosovo should be organized once status is resolved, Zëri writes in its lead story.

Quoting it sources, the paper says that the Secretariat of the ISSR which was supposed to come out with recommendations did not manage to complete its work due to the lack of funds.

Even though, according to Zëri, these financial issues are expected to be solved very soon, there is another issue that needs to be addressed, namely the “defence forces of Kosovo after its status is resolved.” It is by now known that Kosovo will have its Ministries of Order and Justice [as well as] intelligence service but “it is not yet known if Kosovo is to have its own army, which along with a new NATO mission would protect Kosovo.” The role of KPC in the period following status definition is not clear either, says the paper.

The paper goes on to quote Western diplomatic sources as saying that most of Contact Group governments are in favour of Kosovo having a defence force that would [support] NATO troops. Supporters of this idea prefer KPC to take on this role, Zëri writes.

In another article, the paper talks about the terms of reference for ISSR Steering Committee, setting out the duties and responsibilities of this body. They primarily have to do with creating an effective and responsible security sector in Kosovo.