KFOR Commander Erhard Drews has postponed dispatching a convoy carrying supplies for KFOR soldiers stationed at administrative checkpoints in northern Kosovo for Oct. 18 to give citizens more time to remove their barricades, the KFOR command in Pristina said in a statement.

"Representatives of the municipalities of Leposavic, Severna Mitrovica, Zubin Potok and Zvecan have asked for more time and the KFOR commander has decided to give them another day. The KFOR commander appreciates that citizens are willing to open the roads for supplies for KFOR soldiers at thes Jarinje and Brnjak checkpoints and Notting Hill," according to the statement.

KFOR's mission, the statement added, is to preserve a safe environment and the freedom of movement for people and communities everywhere in Kosovo. KFOR will continue to execute its mission in a firm, careful and unbiased manner and in full accord with its mandate.

At the Oct. 15 meeting with municipal representatives from Severna Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic, Drews set Oct. 17 as the new deadline for Serbs to remove the barricades in northern Kosovo, warning that, conversely, KFOR would be forced to do so.

Dacic: Removal of barricades counterproductive

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Ivica Dacic evaluated that the removal of barricades in northern Kosovo-Metohija announced by KFOR would be counterproductive, since the situation on the ground is heading towards a compromise.

Dacic told reporters in Arilje (western Serbia) on Sunday evening that the talks should be continued, because it is much better to reach an agreement this way than by use of force, and added that it would be hypocritical to tell the people on the barricades what to do.

He said that Serbs in Kosovo should be sending certain messages to Belgrade and not vice versa, and noted that being in Belgrade is easy, but being at the barricades and living in the province is difficult.

The situation in north Kosovo, in view of talks and agreement, is heading towards easing of tension and searching of a compromise solution, which is why the use of force would be completely counterproductive, he said.

Dacic also stated that the removal of the obstacles is just a singular act which should not be the centre of everything occurring in north Kosovo-Metohija.

He evaluated that it does not suit KFOR that the situation be complicated since conditions and environment they work in are very important for them, especially given that cold weather is coming as well as the problems with supplying.

Kosovo Serbs are protesting at the barricades against unilateral decisions of Kosovo authorities, said Dacic, and added that a possibility for agreement should be sought between those two facts.

KFOR Commander Major General Erhard Drews delayed the movement of convoys for supplying KFOR soldiers at the administrative crossings for Tuesday, in order to give the citizens more time to remove the obstacles.