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Serbs Threaten Kosovo War

Breakaway province might declare independence Monday

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 7, 2007 8:23 AM CST

(Newser) – Serbia has prompted fears of renewed violence in the Balkans by threatening to go to war to prevent Kosovo from breaking away. After a four-month effort to resolve issues failed, Kosovo is set to declare its independence as early as Monday. In response, an adviser to the Serbian prime minister vowed on state television that the nation would defend its territory "using all means," reports the Times of London.

“The State has no recourse other than war when someone does not respect the UN Security Council,” he said. His remarks provoked an angry response from a UN official who said mediators left "no stone unturned" in an effort to accommodate Serbian and Albanian demands. NATO foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels today to discuss contingency plans in the event of renewed violence.

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, Brantz Craddock, arrives at the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, Friday, Dec. 7, 2007. NATO foreign ministers sought Friday to work out a united position on how to respond to Kosovo's movement toward independence from Serbia, after agreeing that they would maintain a...
NATO's Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, Brantz Craddock, arrives at the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, Friday, Dec. 7, 2007. NATO foreign ministers sought Friday to work out a united...   (Associated Press)
Red Star fans display a banner which reads in full Kosovo is Serbia,  during their UEFA Cup, Group F, soccer match against Bolton Wanderers of England, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007, in Belgrade, Serbia. (AP Photo/Srdjan Ilic)
Red Star fans display a banner which reads in full "Kosovo is Serbia", during their UEFA Cup, Group F, soccer match against Bolton Wanderers of England, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007, in Belgrade, Serbia. (AP...   (Associated Press)
A man walks past a billboard reading Kosovo is Serbia and showing late U.S President Abraham Lincoln and his quote reading Important principles may, and must, be inflexible, Tuesday, Dec.4, 2007, in Belgrade, Serbia. The envoys from the EU, the U.S. and Russia, the so-called troika that...
A man walks past a billboard reading "Kosovo is Serbia" and showing late U.S President Abraham Lincoln and his quote reading "Important principles may, and must, be inflexible", Tuesday, Dec.4, 2007,...   (Associated Press)
Ukrainian soldiers serving in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission man a checkpoint near the Serb enclave of Strpce in this Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007 file photo. In this Serb enclave of Kosovo surrounded by Albanian villages, the gulf between the two communities is so deep that even the roads are virtually...
Ukrainian soldiers serving in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission man a checkpoint near the Serb enclave of Strpce in this Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007 file photo. In this Serb enclave of Kosovo surrounded...   (Associated Press)
Ukrainian soldiers serving in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission man a checkpoint near the Serb enclave of Strpce in this Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007 file photo. In this Serb enclave of Kosovo surrounded by Albanian villages, the gulf between the two communities is so deep that even the roads are virtually...
Ukrainian soldiers serving in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission man a checkpoint near the Serb enclave of Strpce in this Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007 file photo. In this Serb enclave of Kosovo surrounded...   (Associated Press)
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