NATO Urges De-Escalation to Preserve Kosovo's Peace.

NATO forces in Kosovo are prepared to face any situation if acts of violence similar to recent encounters threaten the peace, the NATO commander in Pristina said. The situation remains tense in the north of Kosovo, which is mainly inhabited by ethnic Serbs, and has seen the worst tensions since the country declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Violence erupted last month after ethnic Albanian mayors took office following a local election in which turnout was just 3.5% after Serbs who form a majority in the region boycotted the vote.