Serbia's PM dissolves government

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica today dissolved the government and called for new elections after clashing with his pro-Western coalition partners over Kosovo and EU membership.

Kostunica said he would convene a session of the government that will make a decision to call new elections for May 11.

He accused pro-Western ministers of failing to support his efforts to preserve Kosovo as part of Serbia.

"The government will function in a reduced capacity until the elections are held (on May 11)," Kostunica said.

Kostunica insists that EU governments that recognised Kosovo, which declared independence last month, must rescind their decisions before Serbia resumes pre-membership talks with the 27-nation bloc.

Pro-Western President Boris Tadic opposes tying Serbia’s EU membership to the issue of Kosovo, which has been recognised as an independent state by several leading EU nations, including Britain, France and Germany.