NATO has lifted its 16-year airspace restrictions over Serbian airspace, alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday.

"As of today, KFOR [Kosovo Force] fully relaxed the air safety zone," Stoltenberg said. "This means that the restrictions that have been in place since 1999 are now lifted."

Speaking at a joint press conference with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Stoltenberg said his visit to Belgrade was a "fresh new start" in NATO-Serbia relations.

The limits, dubbed the Air Safety Zone (ASZ), had previously applied to airspace 15 miles toward central Serbia from the "administrative line" with Kosovo.