BELGIUM SUPPORTS ONLY A BALANCED DRAWDOWN OF KFOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 000398 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE, EUR/RPM AND EUR/SCE E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2019 TAGS: PREL MARR NATO KPKO KV BE SUBJECT: BELGIUM SUPPORTS ONLY A BALANCED DRAWDOWN OF KFOR IN KOSOVO REF: STATE 26179 Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Eason, reason 1.4(b) and (d) . Poloff delivered reftel demarche regarding early exits from the KFOR Kosovo mission to Pol De Witte, Director of Security Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 19. De Witte said that Belgium will stay in Kosovo as long as its troops are needed and will only reduce its forces proportionately as other KFOR allies reduce their forces. He was aware of the desire to reduce forces, even unilaterally, in some other allied capitals, as referred to in paragraph 2 of reftel. However, De Witte said, Belgium believes the operation in Kosovo is important. Its troops are stationed in a "difficult area", Mitrovica, in the North of Kosovo. The relatively large Serb population and the activity of agencies controlled from Belgrade make the area a sensitive one, he said. Belgium has about 40 police and 3 or 4 judges participating in EULEX and is concerned for their security, which is another reason for their continued willingness to support KFOR. Belgium also recognizes the need to train and build up the Kosovo Security Force to provide security, a task which De Witte said is just beginning. .