Serbia warns US over future of Kosovo

Serbia has warned the United States that its "open threats" to force the independence of Kosovo could wreck talks aimed at finding an agreed future for the breakaway province. Ignoring appeals from a wavering European Union (EU) to tone down its own veiled threats of force over Kosovo, Serbia demanded that Washington explain why it was threatening to "force independence through illegally." Serbia's Foreign Ministry asked for clarification after the State Department said Washington "would recognize the independence of Kosovo if the Security Council did not reach a consensus." The Prime Minister, Vojislav Kostunica, said in a letter to the United Nations that Serbia faced "a direct US threat that it will recognize the independence of Kosovo illegally." Backed by Russia to an extent that the Western allies failed to foresee three months ago, an assertive Serbia is challenging the West's conviction that giving independence to Kosovo's 90 percent Albanian majority is the only way to a peaceful solution. Using Russian leverage, it has blocked a resolution in the UN Security Council. By highlighting President Bush's promise of independence with or without UN backing, it hopes to persuade hesitant EU member states not to support Washington. Up to 10,000 civilians, overwhelmingly Albanians, were killed in 1998-99 as Serb forces fought Albanian separatist guerrillas, and 800,000 were driven out in a bid to "ethnically cleanse" the rundown province which the Serbs treasure as their ancient heartland. In 1999, the then 15-nation EU overcame its internal divisions and backed NATO when it decided–without a UN mandate–to bomb Serbia into submission to force its troops out of Kosovo. The bombing lasted 78 days. Kosovo's two million Albanians say there is no chance of them agreeing to live under Serbian sovereignty, and that Serbia has no plan to integrate them into Serb society. NATO, which leads a force of 16,000 peacekeepers in Kosovo, expects violent unrest if the Albanian demand for self-determination is thwarted. But Serbia and Russia say there must be no giving in to threats. EU foreign ministers meeting in Portugal on Saturday admitted differences on Kosovo among the 27 member states. Luis Amado of Portugal, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said avoiding an EU split was "key to the credibility of Europe's foreign policy." Britain and France are among EU states ready to recognize Kosovo's independence. Germany's position is less clear. Spain, Hungary, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus and Romania are reluctant and other governments are showing signs of ambivalence. A "troika" of US, EU and Russian envoys is mediating in talks which started in Vienna on Aug. 30 and are due to continue in London and New York this month. But diplomats say the prospect of a deal before the talks wind up on Dec. 10 looks slim.