Serbia rejects Kosovo remarks by US

SERBIA:Serbia dismissed a US explanation of controversial comments about Kosovo yesterday, amid renewed talk about partitioning the mostly Albanian province along ethnic lines.

The US embassy in Belgrade was responding to Serb anger over remarks by a State Department official, who said Washington would recognise a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo if the United Nations failed to sanction such a move.

The embassy said the US gave its full support to a final round of talks on Kosovo, but insisted that the 90 per cent ethnic Albanian region's status "needs to be clarified promptly" after December 10th, when envoys representing the US, European Union and Russia are due to deliver a progress report to the UN secretary general.

"During this period of engagement, the US is prepared to accept any outcome to which the parties agree," the embassy statement noted, suggesting that the once-taboo subject of allowing part of Kosovo to remain with Serbia was now a viable option.

Serb prime minister Vojislav Kostunica rejected the US explanation, saying it showed that Washington was determined to implement a plan drawn up by UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, which recommends EU-monitored independence for Kosovo.

"The United States is again saying that Martti Ahtisaari's plan would be activated again after December 10th, and that United States is in favour of independence," Mr Kostunica's office said in a statement.

The EU, on the other hand, accepted assurances from Serbia that it was not considering sending troops to Kosovo if it declared independence, as was suggested by one Belgrade official last week.

That clarification will allow Mr Kostunica to visit Brussels today, amid suggestions from a Kosovan newspaper that he may push to keep control of largely Serbian northern Kosovo if he can no longer block the province's bid for independence.

"Over the last few weeks, Kostunica has sent his personal envoy to European Union capitals, unofficially to shop around the idea of partition," the newspaper quoted an unnamed source as saying. The report said Vojin Lazarevic, a businessman and supporter of Mr Kostunica, was visiting EU countries to discuss the issue on behalf of the nationalist premier.

Serbia's ministry for Kosovo dismissed the report, which appeared in Koha Ditore, a newspaper founded by Vetton Surroi, a politician and member of the team negotiating the region's status, who has repeatedly warned of the danger of partition.