Serbia may drop a £600m (€787.6m) international debt bill on Kosovo in revenge for its declaration of independence.

SERBIA was back on the offensive over Kosovo’s independence yesterday, blaming the United States for the crisis in the Balkans while its ally Russia accused the Americans of destroying “world order”.

Kosovo marked its first full week of independence with prayers and protests today as outraged Serbs geared up for demonstrations across Europe.

Police belatedly stood guard outside the British, US and other Western embassies in Belgrade today after they were attacked overnight by rioters protesting at Kosovo’s independence.

America gave Serbia a blunt warning against inciting violence after an angry mob protesting at the independence declared by its former province of Kosovo stormed and set fire to the US Embassy in Belgrade.

At least 150,000 Serbs gathered in central Belgrade today in a massive protest against Kosovo’s declaration of independence, raising fears of street violence.

Serbia tonight recalled its ambassador to the US in response to the Bush administration’s recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

THE narrow re-election victory of Serbia’s pro-West president, Boris Tadic, drew EU applause yesterday, but piled pressure on an unstable government in Belgrade as Kosovo prepares to declare independence.

Serbia is planning retaliatory measures against Western states if they recognise Kosovo’s independence, including the possibility of severing diplomatic ties with the US and EU countries.

Serbia today demanded more talks with ethnic Albanians on the future status of Kosovo, saying an independence declaration by the province would be an “experiment with unforeseeable consequences”.

Kosovo’s prime minister today vowed to declare independence if internationally brokered talks fail to “open a way for us,” staking out a tough position at last-ditch negotiations on the province’s future status.

Pro-democratic parties in Serbia have reached a power-sharing deal to form a new government and see off the threat of radical ultranationalists, media reports said today.

An ally of late President Slobodan Milosevic was elected as Serbia’s new parliament speaker today, signalling a return of ultranationalists to power in the troubled Balkan country.

Serbia hailed its acquittal before the World Court on genocide charges filed by Bosnia, saying it would help regional reconciliation.

Serbia today hailed its acquittal before the World Court on genocide charges filed by Bosnia, saying it would help regional reconciliation.

Kosovo was widely expected to take its first tentative step toward statehood today with the unveiling of a UN proposal for the future of the bitterly-contested province.

SERBIA’S president yesterday called on pro-democratic parties to put differences aside and quickly form a coalition government to stave off gains made by ultra-nationalists in weekend parliamentary elections.

Serbian president Boris Tadic today called on pro-democratic parties to put differences aside and quickly form a coalition government to stave off gains made by ultranationalists in the weekend parliamentary election.

Serbian ultra-nationalist Radicals won most votes in Serbia’s parliamentary election, but several pro-democratic groups won enough seats to form a new government if they can settle their differences.

Serbs voted today in a closely-contested parliamentary election between pro-Western democrats and ultranationalists to determine whether the troubled Balkan nation drifts toward mainstream Europe or returns to its wartime nationalist past.

European Union foreign ministers were to press Serbia today to live up to international demands it hunt down and hand over top war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic to the UN war crimes tribunal.

Serbia’s leadership today demanded an urgent investigation into a bomb attack that left nine people injured in northern Kosovo.

SERBIA will reject independence as a solution for Kosovo and continue to consider Kosovo as part of its territory, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said in comments published yesterday.

Top Serbian and ethnic Albanian leaders met face-to-face in Vienna today in unprecedented talks aimed at resolving the dispute over the breakaway province of Kosovo. But with the two sides intractable, chances of a breakthrough are slim.

Serbia’s government is drafting an “action plan” to locate and capture top war crimes suspect General Ratko Mladic, a senior government official said today.

Montenegro’s parliament is to declare independence for the tiny Balkan republic today, forming a new European state and formally dissolving what was left of Yugoslavia.

The pro-Serb camp in Montenegro has demanded a recount of the referendum results which resulted in a slim margin in favour of secession from Serbia in favour of a separate nation.

Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus resigned today over the government’s failure to arrest war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic and the resulting suspension of EU pre-membership talks with Serbia.

Serbia’s deputy prime minister Miroljub Labus resigned today over the government’s failure to arrest war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic and the resulting suspension of EU pre-membership talks with Serbia.

A European Union deadline for Serbia to surrender war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic has expired with no sign of the former army commander, threatening the nation’s efforts to join the bloc.

The son of General Ratko Mladic – the Bosnian Serb wartime commander sought by the UN war crimes tribunal – said he would refuse to negotiate his father’s surrender with Serbian authorities, according to a Belgrade newspaper today.

Faced with possible European Union sanctions, Serbia’s deputy prime minister today urged an emergency leadership meeting to hasten the arrest of war crimes fugitive Gen Ratko Mladic.

Serbia’s security services know where top war crimes fugitive Gen Ratko Mladic is hiding, the foreign minister has said.

A HEARSE took the body of Slobodan Milosevic to Amsterdam airport last night as Serbia cleared the way for the former Yugoslav president’s widow to return for a funeral in Belgrade.

THE family and supporters of Slobodan Milosevic are pushing for a state funeral for the suspected war criminal.

The Dutch Embassy in Moscow today granted a three-day visa to Slobodan Milosevic’s son, Marko, so he can travel to the The Hague to claim his father’s remains, the Netherlands said.

Slobodan Milosevic’s Socialist party threatened to topple Serbia’s minority government if the former Yugoslav president was not buried with state honors in Belgrade and if his widow was not allowed to attend the funeral.

In the name of unity, Slobodan Milosevic dragged the Balkans into a period of horrendous bloodshed.

SERB security officials insisted yesterday that top war-crimes fugitive General Ratko Mladic had been located and that authorities were trying to persuade him to give himself up.

BOSNIAN Serb war crimes fugitive General Ratko Mladic has been located and was last night negotiating his surrender, according to Serbian security officials.

BOSNIAN Serb war crimes fugitive General Ratko Mladic has been located and was last night negotiating his surrender, according to Serbian security officials.

War crimes fugitive General Ratko Mladic has been located and authorities are negotiating his surrender, a senior state security official told The Associated Press today.

A Belgrade newspaper today claimed that Bosnian Serb wartime commander and top war crimes suspect Gen. Ratko Mladic is in Russia.

UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari arrived in Kosovo today on a fact-finding mission before crucial talks that will determine whether Kosovo becomes an independent nation or a self-governing region within Serbia.