Serbia issues stark EU warning

Serbia has warned it could break with the west if the international community does not take a softer line on Kosovo and the handing over war crimes suspects.

On Tuesday Vojislav Kostunica, the Serbian premier said Belgrade would not accept an imposed solution for the majority ethnic Albanian province.

Many western diplomats have insisted such a solution would put Kosovo on the path to independence by the end of the year.

Speaking in London after meeting UK prime miniser Tony Blair, the Serbian insisted an "imposed solution" would "certainly be rejected by Serbia's parliament.

“That would inevitably mark the turning point [for]....Serbia's relations with the rest of the world," he added.

He went on to say the EU’s decision to halt talks with Sebia over its failure to apprehend war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic is “absurd.”

"We have, in fact, ended up in a position where the survival of an entire European democracy directly depends on bringing to justice one single indictee, which is absurd," he declared.

Blair has called for Serbia to comply with the wishes of Kosovan people and also to step up its co-operation with the UN tribunal.

Kostunica did respond with a commitment to drawing up an "action plan" on improving co-operation with the UN tribunal on the former Yugoslavia.

The UK has lead calls for Belgrade to live up to its obligations, while other EU governments, such as France, have taken a more conciliatory approach in a bid to prevent Serbia feeling isolated.

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