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Nato troops close Kosovo border Nato troops close Kosovo border
(30 minutes later)
Nato troops have sealed the northern borders of Kosovo after Serbs angry at its weekend declaration of independence ransacked two crossings.Nato troops have sealed the northern borders of Kosovo after Serbs angry at its weekend declaration of independence ransacked two crossings.
Hundreds of protesters torched customs and police posts at Jarinje and Brnjak, manned by UN and Kosovo police.Hundreds of protesters torched customs and police posts at Jarinje and Brnjak, manned by UN and Kosovo police.
Closing the borders will infuriate both Kosovo Serbs and Serbia's government, says the BBC's Nick Thorpe in Kosovo.Closing the borders will infuriate both Kosovo Serbs and Serbia's government, says the BBC's Nick Thorpe in Kosovo.
The move cuts Kosovo's mainly Serb north off from Serbia, the country to which they insist they still belong.The move cuts Kosovo's mainly Serb north off from Serbia, the country to which they insist they still belong.
See a map of Kosovo's ethnic breakdown See a map of Kosovo's ethnic breakdown
Nato said it was shutting the crossings, initially for a 24-hour period.Nato said it was shutting the crossings, initially for a 24-hour period.
Bulldozers and explosivesBulldozers and explosives
The protesters arrived in convoys of cars and buses in what our correspondent says was clearly a carefully planned and coordinated action.The protesters arrived in convoys of cars and buses in what our correspondent says was clearly a carefully planned and coordinated action.
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 witnesses.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 witnesses.
Nato-led peacekeepers from K-For were called in and US, Estonian and French troops sealed the two border crossings.Nato-led peacekeepers from K-For were called in and US, Estonian and French troops sealed the two border crossings.
Serbia's minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, said his government intended to take control of the customs posts to establish what he called the fully authority of Serbian statehood.Serbia's minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, said his government intended to take control of the customs posts to establish what he called the fully authority of Serbian statehood.
'Second Kosovo''Second Kosovo'
The attacks on the crossings and the Nato response put the international community on a collision course with both Kosovo Serbs and the Serbian government, 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 class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2008/02/kosovo_lights_up_the_eu.html">EU fired up by Kosovo class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7251895.stm">Anger mounts in Mitrovica class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7249677.stm">Full text: Kosovo declaration He says that what is emerging on the ground is a second Kosovo. The attacks on the crossings and the Nato response put the international community on a collision course with both Kosovo Serbs and the Serbian government, our correspondent says.
Prevented by Nato from partitioning the territory, he adds that the Kosovo Serbs are making life increasingly difficult for UN staff in the north-western areas where Serbs are in the majority. 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 class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2008/02/kosovo_lights_up_the_eu.html">EU fired up by Kosovo class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7251895.stm">Anger mounts in Mitrovica class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7249677.stm">Full text: Kosovo declaration He says that what is emerging on the ground is a second Kosovo.
A preparatory team from the European Union, as well as a number of UN personnel, have withdrawn from the area on safety grounds. Prevented by Nato from partitioning the territory, Kosovo's Serbs are making life increasingly difficult for UN staff in the north-western areas where Serbs are in the majority, he adds.
In Pristina, Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said an isolated incident would not be allowed to diminish the glory of Kosovan independence. An EU official denied reports that personnel had withdrawn from the area on safety grounds.
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. In Pristina, Dutch diplomat Pieter Feith began his task as the EU's special representative to Kosovo. A 2,000-strong EU police and justice mission will take shape in the coming weeks.
"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 on Tuesday. 'Encouraging separatism'
'Dangerous consequences' Russia has sharply criticised Brussels' role in Kosovo. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said that by "pursuing the unilateral scenario of solving the Kosovo problem... the European Union encourages separatism in the world".
Earlier in the day, the EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, became the first international statesman to visit Kosovo since its independence declaration. He was speaking after EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana became the first international statesman to visit Kosovo since its independence declaration on Sunday.
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
The US, Britain, France, Germany and Italy have all recognised the new state, but others have not.The US, Britain, France, Germany and Italy have all recognised the new state, but others have not.
On Tuesday, Russia said the declaration of independence endangered international stability.
The warning was made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in a telephone conversation with his US counterpart Condoleezza Rice.
"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 foreign ministry in Moscow said in a statement, following talks between Mr Lavrov and Ms Rice.
China has also expressed its deep concern, urging Pristina to reopen dialogue with Belgrade.
The UN Security Council is divided over how to respond to Kosovo's move, and it has failed to agree on any action.The UN Security Council is divided over how to respond to Kosovo's move, and it has failed to agree on any action.
China has expressed its deep concern and official media in Beijing announced that a further small deployment of UN peacekeepers would be sent to Pristina next month.
Ambassadors recalledAmbassadors recalled
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".
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 has recalled its ambassadors to the US, France and Turkey because those countries had recognised Kosovo's independence.In a separate move, Serbia has recalled its ambassadors to the US, France and Turkey because those countries had recognised Kosovo's independence.
EU member states set aside differences over the recognition of Kosovo earlier this week by stressing that it was not a precedent for separatists elsewhere.EU member states set aside differences over the recognition of Kosovo earlier this week by stressing that it was not a precedent for separatists elsewhere.
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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