The Serbian Government’s request for the return of Serbian military and police personnel to Kosovo, under Resolution 1244, was delivered to KFOR at the Merdare administrative border crossing between Serbia proper and Kosovo on Friday morning.

At its session on Thursday evening, the Serbian Government decided to send KFOR a request for the return of up to 1,000 police and military personnel to return to Kosovo in line with UN Security Council resolution 1244, Serbian state TV (RTS) reported.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told RTS Thursday evening that the government took the decision unanimously, stressing that the return of Serbian forces would ease tensions. However, he added that KFOR will almost certainly not grant Serbia’s request.

“I think it that would be important for the protection of the Serb population and the control of what they call border crossings, which are actually the Jarinje and Brnnjak administrative crossings, and this would dramatically ease tensions and it would be a good decision. But we are almost certain that it will not be accepted based on what we have heard,” said Vucic.