Turkey closely follows developments in the Balkan region, especially in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Wednesday.
After his meetings in Kosovo's capital Pristina, within the scope of his official visit, Akar traveled to Prizren and conducted inspections at the Presidency of the Kosovo Turkish Representative Delegation.
Akar was greeted by a ceremonial squad upon his arrival at the Sultan Murat Barracks, received a briefing on the activities and issued instructions. Later, Akar met with soldiers in the barracks and congratulated them for their successful work.
Emphasizing that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) carry out important duties in friendly and brotherly Kosovo, Akar said: "We share common values and a historical past with Kosovo. We have responsibilities toward the people here. We will continue to stand by the Kosovars in their just cause. We are here to contribute to their defense and security issues and to make their life easier here, as much as we can."
Pointing to Kosovo's past, Akar said: "We closely follow the developments in the Balkans, especially in friendly and brotherly Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo. The comfort, peace and security of our brothers and sisters here make us happy; otherwise, we are sad. We have made our best contribution to the integration of Europe and the Atlantic institutions, and we will continue to do so in the future."
Noting that the Turkish soldiers represented Turkey and the red flag while also fulfilling their military duties, Akar drew attention to the importance of representation.
Expressing that the TSK is facing the most intense period in the history of the republic, Akar said: "Within the scope of NATO, United Nations and European Union missions and bilateral relations, we stand by all our friends and brothers in Somalia, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar and many other geographies as well as Azerbaijan and Libya. We will continue to do what is necessary to ensure the security of our country, nation and borders, and to protect our rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Aegean, northern Syria and northern Iraq."
Celebrating the new year with the Turkish soldiers, Akar visited Turkey's Consulate General in Prizren after sharing a meal with the troops. Following a short tour of the city's center, Akar met with several citizens. Later, he visited the Turkish town of Mamusa, located in the northern part of Prizren.
As part of his diplomatic tour of the Balkans, Akar visited Bosnia-Herzegovina before Kosovo. Speaking there, Akar said Turkey is ready to act as a mediator in the political crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina and will do what it can to ensure stability amid concerns over separatist moves by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik.
Bosnia-Herzegovina has seen a separatist push since Dodik, the Serb member of the country’s tripartite presidency, blasted legal changes banning the denial of genocide and glorifying war criminals. In a nonbinding motion paving the way for secession from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serb lawmakers earlier this month voted to start pulling their autonomous Serb Republic out of the country's armed forces, tax system and judiciary.
Turkey has been taking diplomatic initiatives to de-escalate tensions in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In November, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with representatives from Bosnian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Istanbul. "We have provided support without any discrimination for the preservation and stabilization of Bosnia-Herzegovina's multicultural and ethnic identity," he said.
