Serbian President Boris Tadic has warned that any attempts by Kosovo to deploy police and customs officials at border outposts in its Serb-populated north could reignite tensions that led to violence and the death of a police officer in July.
In an interview with RFE/RL's Balkan Service on September 13, Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said the plan is to reopen two border posts under the authority of Kosovo institutions, and that "Belgrade authorities are completely powerless to change anything during the implementation of the decision."
Tadic said the disputed issues should be resolved in an ongoing European Union-mediated dialogue, and he urged international officials to prevent Pristina from moving ahead with the deployment.
He also criticized international officials in Kosovo for allegedly backing Pristina's plans, saying they would be "responsible for any consequences" that might result.
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said he has lodged a protest with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
As night fell, Serbs in the north halted a convoy of German NATO soldiers heading north to the border. Serbs in the divided town of Mitrovica set up barricades of buses, rocks and trucks loaded with stones.
compiled from agency reports
In an interview with RFE/RL's Balkan Service on September 13, Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said the plan is to reopen two border posts under the authority of Kosovo institutions, and that "Belgrade authorities are completely powerless to change anything during the implementation of the decision."
Tadic said the disputed issues should be resolved in an ongoing European Union-mediated dialogue, and he urged international officials to prevent Pristina from moving ahead with the deployment.
He also criticized international officials in Kosovo for allegedly backing Pristina's plans, saying they would be "responsible for any consequences" that might result.
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said he has lodged a protest with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
As night fell, Serbs in the north halted a convoy of German NATO soldiers heading north to the border. Serbs in the divided town of Mitrovica set up barricades of buses, rocks and trucks loaded with stones.
compiled from agency reports