Serbian coalition splits over EU-Kosovo policy

Serbia's tottering coalition government yesterday voted down a bid by nationalist Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica to rule out any deal with the European Union until it revokes the independence of Kosovo.

The Cabinet split two-to-one against endorsing a motion raised by the opposition Radicals and backed by Mr Kostunica's party, with 15 ministers against and seven for the anti-EU motion.

"I appeal to the parties who drafted the resolution to withdraw their proposal," Serbia's pro-EU President Boris Tadic told a news conference afterwards.

He said ministers of his Democratic Party "will continue with the policy of EU integration" without destabilising the coalition. But he warned that "the government will fall" if nationalists try to oust the Democrat speaker of Parliament.

Mr Kostunica's Minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, said the government had "entered a deep crisis". "It is clear that there no longer exists a common policy on European integration and Kosovo," he told reporters.

No major party in Serbia is ready to concede the loss of Kosovo, whose 90 per cent Albanian majority declared independence on February 17 with US and EU backing.

But pro-Western parties do not want to go as far as ending Serbia's EU membership bid.