Germany: NATO Can't Scale Down Troops in Kosovo

German Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere (L) speaks with US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta (R) prior to a meeting of the NATO ministers of defense with non NATO KFOR Contributing Nations at the Nato headquarters in Brussels, 03 February 2012. EPA/BGN

German Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere said Friday that he did not expect a drawdown of NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo any time soon, given the "difficult" situation in the Balkan country.

De Maiziere spoke to reporters ahead of a meeting with fellow NATO defense ministers at the military alliance's headquarters in Brussels, as cited by DPA.

The meeting was also expected to tackle NATO's Afghanistan mission amid growing speculation about its withdrawal plans.

NATO had originally planned to halve the number of troops in Kosovo this year, the German press agency reminds. Just under 5,800 soldiers from 29 countries are currently serving in the Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission, with Germany providing the largest contingent at 1,349 troops.

Kosovo last year experienced a wave of fresh tensions with ethnic Serbs in its north. NATO's top military advisor, General Knud Bartels, warned earlier this month that the situation is calm but tense and can change very rapidly.

"At the present time, I see no possibility of pulling out further troops," de Maiziere said, noting that "only politicians can solve" the problems affecting the former Serbian province.

The European Union has been brokering talks between Belgrade and Pristina in a bid to normalize relations between the two sides. The bloc has set improved relations with Kosovo as a condition for recognizing Serbia as a candidate for EU membership.

"It is vital that the EU-sponsored dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina continues and that it produces sustainable results. This dialogue represents an historic opportunity to build a better future," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen commented in Brussels.