Pristina: The Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu yesterday stated that NATO will stay in Kosovo, and Kosovo Security Forces will be formed according to NATO criteria. He said NATO forces in Kosovo have a large role to play.

Sejdiu stated that after a meeting with a delegation from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in the Kosovo capital. He said, “We’ve discussed the challenges that await us in the future, and Kosovo’s intentions to become a NATO member in the future. In the meantime, the Kosovo security forces will be formed according to NATO criteria.”

On behalf of the delegation, Michael Clapham, the UK representative stated that the aim of the visit to Pristina had been the preparation of a report on the situation in Kosovo. Clapham said, “KFOR guarantees security in Kosovo, and on the basis of what we’ve seen, we feel a big job has been done.”

According to Clapham, the delegation’s report will be presented at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in May. The report was expected to be ratified during the assembly’s session in the autumn. There are currently some 16,000 NATO troops stationed in Kosovo.