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Kosovo Serbs burn border points Nato troops close Kosovo border
(about 7 hours later)
Kosovo Serbs have set fire to two border crossings to protest against Kosovo's declaration of independence. Nato troops have sealed the northern borders of Kosovo after Serbs angry at its weekend declaration of independence ransacked two crossings.
The attacks took place at the northern Jarinje and Banja crossings, manned by United Nations and Kosovo police. Hundreds of protestors torched customs and police posts at Jarinje and Banja, manned by UN and Kosovo police.
In response, Nato-led peacekeepers were deployed at the crossings. There have been no reports of any injuries so far. Closing the borders will infuriate both Kosovo Serbs and Serbia's government, says the BBC's Nick Thorpe in Kosovo.
This is the most serious incident since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on Sunday, the BBC's Nick Thorpe in Kosovo says. The move cuts Kosovo's mainly Serb north off from Serbia, the country to which they insist they still belong.
Belgrade has said Kosovo's declaration violates international law.
See a map of Kosovo's ethnic breakdown See a map of Kosovo's ethnic breakdown
The US, Britain, France, Germany and Italy have all recognised the new state, but others have not. Nato said it was shutting the crossings, initially for a 24-hour period.
Russia has warned that the move endangers international stability, while China has expressed its deep concern. Bulldozers and explosives
The UN Security Council is divided over how to respond to Kosovo's move, and it has failed to agree on any action. The protesters arrived in convoys of cars and buses in what our correspondent says was clearly a carefully planned and coordinated action.
Police withdrawal
Some 1,000 Kosovo Serbs attacked and set fire to the border crossing at Banja, on the main road between Kosovo's divided town of Mitrovica and Montenegro, our correspondent says.
KOSOVO PROFILE Population about two millionMajority ethnic Albanian; 10% SerbUnder UN control since Nato drove out Serb forces in 19992,000-strong EU staff to take over from UN after independenceNato to stay to provide security Full text: Kosovo declarationIn pictures: CelebrationsAnger mounts in MitrovicaKOSOVO PROFILE Population about two millionMajority ethnic Albanian; 10% SerbUnder UN control since Nato drove out Serb forces in 19992,000-strong EU staff to take over from UN after independenceNato to stay to provide security Full text: Kosovo declarationIn pictures: CelebrationsAnger mounts in Mitrovica
Nato-led peacekeepers from K-For were called in after UN and Kosovo police were reportedly forced to withdraw from the crossing to a nearby tunnel. Kosovo police and UN customs officials were forced to withdraw to a nearby tunnel as the crowds used bulldozers and explosives to demolish the border posts, according to eyewitnesses.
In a separate attack, a mob burnt down the wooden huts of the Kosovo and UN police at the Jarinje crossing, on the main road linking Mitrovica and Serbia's capital Belgrade. Nato-led peacekeepers from K-For were called in and US soldiers blocked the main road crossing with Serbia, while Estonian and French troops sealed the crossing to Montenegro.
"The police on the spot were not enough - we are deploying troops to re-establish order. There is an ongoing operation," K-For spokesman Bertrand Bonneau told the BBC. In Pristina, Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said an isolated incident would not be allowed to diminish the glory of Kosovan independence.
"We have reinforced all the checkpoints in northern Kosovo. The rest of Kosovo is peaceful," he said, adding that so far there were no reports of any injuries. Meanwhile, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic made an impassioned speech saying that Kosovo would never be a sovereign nation and would remain part of Serbia forever.
'Threat to stability' "For us, Kosovo is the crucible of our identity, it is the essential link between our past and our future," he told the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Vienna, Austria.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russia warned the US that Kosovo's declaration of independence endangered international stability. 'Dangerous consequences'
Earlier in the day, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, became the first international statesman to visit Kosovo since its independence declaration.
The US, Britain, France, Germany and Italy have all recognised the new state, but others have not.
Kosovo's declaration drew protests in Belgrade and parts of KosovoKosovo's declaration drew protests in Belgrade and parts of Kosovo
Moscow said the comments were made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a telephone conversation with his US counterpart Condoleezza Rice. Russia has warned that the declaration of independence endangers international stability, while China has expressed its deep concern.
"We confirmed our principled position on the unacceptability of unilateral actions by Pristina declaring its independence," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement, following talks between Mr Lavrov and Ms Rice. The UN Security Council is divided over how to respond to Kosovo's move, and it has failed to agree on any action.
"We underlined the dangerous consequences of such a step, which threatens the destruction of world order and international stability which have developed over decades," the statement said. Earlier on Tuesday, Russia said its foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, had warned US counterpart Condoleezza Rice in a telephone conversation that it would lead to trouble.
'Correct move' "We underlined the dangerous consequences of such a step, which threatens the destruction of world order and international stability which have developed over decades," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement, following talks between Mr Lavrov and Ms Rice.
Ambassadors recalled
The Russian warning came just hours after US President George W Bush said the US would soon establish full diplomatic relations with Kosovo.The Russian warning came just hours after US President George W Bush said the US would soon establish full diplomatic relations with Kosovo.
In a letter to Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu, Mr Bush said he supported "your embrace of multi-ethnicity as a principle of good governance".
STANCE ON RECOGNITION For: Germany, Italy, France, UK, Austria, US, Turkey, Albania, Afghanistan Against: Russia, Spain, Romania, Slovakia, Cyprus Send us your commentsSTANCE ON RECOGNITION For: Germany, Italy, France, UK, Austria, US, Turkey, Albania, Afghanistan Against: Russia, Spain, Romania, Slovakia, Cyprus Send us your comments
Speaking during a visit to Tanzania, Mr Bush said history would prove Kosovo's independence to be "a correct move".
He said Washington supported Pristina's decision because "we believe it will bring peace".
In a letter to Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu, Mr Bush offered friendship to Kosovo, and said he supported "your embrace of multi-ethnicity as a principle of good governance".
Ambassadors recalled
On Monday, the Serbian parliament passed a resolution condemning Kosovo's declaration of independence.On Monday, the Serbian parliament passed a resolution condemning Kosovo's declaration of independence.
The resolution also formally annulled the acts of the government in Pristina, saying Belgrade's sovereignty over Kosovo was guaranteed by the UN and international law.The resolution also formally annulled the acts of the government in Pristina, saying Belgrade's sovereignty over Kosovo was guaranteed by the UN and international law.
In a separate move, Serbia recalled its ambassadors to the US, France and Turkey because those countries had recognised Kosovo's independence.In a separate move, Serbia recalled its ambassadors to the US, France and Turkey because those countries had recognised Kosovo's independence.
At a meeting in Brussels, the EU set aside differences over the recognition of Kosovo, by stressing that it was not a precedent for separatists elsewhere.At a meeting in Brussels, the EU set aside differences over the recognition of Kosovo, by stressing that it was not a precedent for separatists elsewhere.
All 27 EU foreign ministers agreed to leave recognition up to each member state.
Spain and several other member states have withheld recognition because of concerns about separatist movements within their own borders.Spain and several other member states have withheld recognition because of concerns about separatist movements within their own borders.
Serbian security forces were driven out of Kosovo in 1999 after a Nato bombing campaign aimed at halting the violent repression of ethnic Albanian separatists.Serbian security forces were driven out of Kosovo in 1999 after a Nato bombing campaign aimed at halting the violent repression of ethnic Albanian separatists.
The province has been under UN administration and Nato protection since then.The province has been under UN administration and Nato protection since then.
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