Serbia unsatisfied with Washington's clarification of Kosovo stance

The State Department blamed the controversy on "media misinterpretations" and in a statement distributed by the US Embassy in Belgrade, tried to push the tide of fury away by saying that the "US supported continued status negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina and any outcome that both sides would agree to".

Belgrade, however, seemed unsatisfied with the answer, Tanjug news agency reported, quoting sources in the Prime minister's cabinet as saying that US failed to deny Volker's allegations.

"On the contrary, the embassy's reaction once again reiterated Washington's support for the Ahtisaari document, and independence after December 10, based on that plan," the report said.

The controversy began on September 7, when US Assistant Secretary of State reportedly said that the United States would recognize Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence if the U.N. Security Council fails to reach a consensus over the province's future status.

Speaking to the French news agency AFP, Walker assumed that the Kosovo Albanian majority appeared determined to pronounce independence in the absence of political arrangement.

"Then, I think all of us have to take our responsibility for maintaining peace and stability in the Balkans," Mr. Volker said.

"We would recognize Kosovo independence as, we assume, a number of others would as well because that is the only stable way forward in the Balkans," he said, but added that he hoped the two sides could reach a deal.

Requesting additional explanations from Washington, Belgrade leaders immediately cried foul and harshly blamed the U.S. for undermining ongoing talks, and taking a biased stance over in favor of Kosovo Albanians.

Prime Minister Kostunica accused the U.S. of using the "policy of force", adding that the territorial integrity of the country has been endangered by Washington's undiplomatic moves.

"The American position implies that the US will violate UN resolution 1244 and the U.N. Charter in the roughest possible way," Mr. Kostunica said, adding that the Serbian government expected the Security Council to protect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity "from the U.S. policy of force, and to secure the full respect of the Resolution 1244".

Members of the U.N. Security Council have been, meanwhile, notified of problems between U.S. and Serbia, and a tide of clarifications followed.

Nonetheless, the American support for independent Kosovo hardly comes as a surprise after a series of rather clear statements from high-ranking U.S. officials on that issue, including President George Bush's speech in Albanian capital Tirana in mid-June, when he reiterated his support for the U.N.'s plan for Kosovo's independence, adding it was time to "get moving" despite opposition from Russia.

"The question is whether there's going to be endless dialogue on a subject that we've already made up our mind on," Mr. Bush said.

The phrase "made up our minds", translated in plain language means that President Bush seems to be determined to fulfill statehood-related promises given to ethnic Albanians by the previous administration during the NATO-led air war over the Kosovo.

The next chapter of decades- long Kosovo crisis will be the largest test for the relations between two countries after the fall of former Yugoslav strongman Slobodan Milosevic's regime in late 2000, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic warned during his recent visit to Washington, where he met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other high-ranking U.S. officials.

Jeremic said all the democratic gains Serbia has made since the overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000 would be at risk if Kosovo, against Belgrade's wishes, is declared independent. "And if we (Serbia) falter, so will the rest of the region. For just as our success is guaranteed to propel the Western Balkans forward, real danger exists that Serbia plunges back into her recent past could hurl the region back to the 1990s," Jeremic said.