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Washington (ANTARA News / Reuters) - NATO will accelerate plans to reduce its military presence in Kosovo, the commander said it was important alinsi, Wednesday, citing improved security situation in the Balkans.

In a conference in Washington, the Supreme Allied Commander Admiral James Stavridis of the United States said stuasi in the Balkans "has not fully improved, but are moving in the right direction,"

"And I'm going to reduce troops there from 15,000 to 10,000 personnel and maybe 5000 later this year," said Stavridis.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced last September that the alliance will continue with plans to reduce the security forces or KFOR, from 15,000 personnel to 10,000 personnel earlier this year.

Rasmussen stressed that any reduction of troops must follow a profound analysis of the security situation there and has no negative impact on Kosovo or the region.

Kosovo, announced independence in 2008 ruled Feruari United Nations since NATO launched a bombing untu expel the Serbs from the province's majority ethnic Albanians in 1999.