NATO closes illegal Serb border crossing in Kosovo

Oct 13, 2011, 9:55 GMT

Belgrade/Pristina - NATO peacekeepers and European Union law-enforcers in Kosovo on Thursday closed an illegal border crossing that ethnic Serbs in the Serb-dominated enclave in northern Kosovo had opened with Serbia, in the latest move in a tense standoff that began nearly three months ago.

German troops from the KFOR peacekeeping mission closed the 'alternative' route across the border in the early morning. The Serbs had opened the route a week ago.

The last time KFOR closed an illegal crossing in late September, violence erupted, with several ethnic Serbs and soldiers wounded.

The Serbs have been opening their own crossings to circumvent controls that the ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo government has imposed on the borders of Kosovo.

EU's law enforcing mission in Kosovo, the EULEX, also took part in the mission aimed at sealing the porous border between northern Kosovo and Serbia. EULEX is tasked with border controls, but requires KFOR's support amid the threat of violence.

'Unauthorized routes evade legitimate controls and road blocks are illegal and help no one,' EULEX acting chief, Andy Sparkes, said in a statement.

The roadblocks Sparkes referred to have been erected and maintained by Serbs throughout northern Kosovo since a trade row erupted into tensions in the border area in late July.

Northern Kosovo is the largest of the enclaves where Serbs outnumber Albanians. Local Serbs fiercely resist rule from Pristina, operating an unrecognized quasi-administration financed by Belgrade.

The EU has warned Serbia, most recently in its annual report on the progress of prospective members, that it will not be allowed to join before it comes to terms with Kosovo.

Serbia must restore a dialogue on technical issues with Kosovo, which it broke off in the wake of the violence last month, and show tangible improvement in relations with Kosovo before it can hope to begin accession talks, the EU says.

Belgrade is trying to push the crisis in the north into the agenda of the talks, but neither the EU, which has facilitated the dialogue, nor Pristina, have agreed, which resulted in a stalemate.

'The closure of the alternative crossing ... indicates that a solution for (border crossings) Jarinje and Brnjak must be found urgently,' said Belgrade's chief negotiator, Borislav Stefanovic.

Stefanovic told the Beta news agency that he would once again discuss the situation in northern Kosovo with the EU mediator, Robert Cooper, who visited Belgrade and Pristina over the past week in a failed attempt to restart the dialogue.

Belgrade leaders however vowed that they would not bow to pressure and give up Serbia's claim on Kosovo, even if it cost the country the prospect of EU membership.

The former province of Serbia declared independence in 2008 and has been recognized by the United States and by 22 out of the 27 countries in the EU. Russia has made clear its backing of Serbia on the issue and has not recognized Kosovo.