BELGRADE (AFP) — Serbia's new government decided Thursday to reinstate its European Union-based ambassadors who were withdrawn after most EU states recognised Kosovo's independence, a minister said.
"I consider the decision on the return of ambassadors from EU countries which have recognised Kosovo will reinforce our diplomatic position," said Environment Minister Oliver Dulic.
"I guess that the ambassadors will go back in the course of next week," Dulic told a press conference in Belgrade after a cabinet meeting that he said unanimously backed the policy change.
"With this, we want to balance two priorities which we have put before us -- one to continue with the fight for Kosovo and the other to intensify the process of European integration."
The step comes after Serbia moved closer to overcoming its biggest obstacle to EU integration three days ago, when its security forces arrested Radovan Karadzic, one of three remaining war crimes fugitives.
Serbia's cooperation with the UN's International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is a precondition for advancing along the long road to EU membership, which it hopes to achieve in 2012.
More than 40 nations, including 20 of the EU's 27 members, have recognised Kosovo's February 17 declaration of independence from Serbia which, along with ally Russia, fiercely opposed the move. China and Spain have also refused.
The foreign ministry of Serbia's new West-leaning government, which made speedy integration into the EU its main policy when it was sworn in on July 7, had proposed reinstating envoys to the bloc on Sunday.
At the time, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic indicated the new government of Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic -- a coalition of President Boris Tadic's pro-EU Democratic Party and the Socialists of late strongman Slobodan Milosevic -- would be willing to "negotiate" with the bloc over its planned mission in Kosovo.
Jeremic underlined that the freezing of ties with countries from outside the EU who recognised Kosovo independence -- such as the United States -- would remain in force.
Despite Belgrade's apparent readiness to find a solution to legalise the incoming EU police and justice mission dubbed EULEX through the UN Security Council, the new administration insists it will never recognise Kosovo's independence.
On Wednesday, Jeremic met with UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) chief Lamberto Zannier to "discuss the shape of the international presence" there, a statement from the foreign ministry said.
Belgrade protested against the 2,000-member mission, saying it lacked the backing of the United Nation's Security Council.
"In Belgrade's eyes, this mission is only acceptable if it is the fruit of a deal backed by a UN Security Council resolution," Jeremic said recently.
UNMIK is expected to transfer its main responsibilities in the areas of police, law and customs to EULEX, as well as some powers to Kosovar authorities. But EULEX's deployment has been delayed by the political situation.
Jeremic was to travel to New York for a UN Security Council session on Friday to present Serbia's views on the situation in Kosovo, his office said.
In Washington on Monday, US President George W. Bush promised Kosovo's visiting president and prime minister he would try to convince more nations to embrace formal diplomatic ties with their young country.
"I pledged that the United States would continue to work with those nations that have not recognised an independent Kosovo to convince them to do so as quickly as possible," Bush said after meeting with President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.
"I'm a strong supporter of Kosovo's independence," said Bush, who also renewed his support for Kosovo to join the NATO alliance as well as the European Union.
Kosovo, a tiny southern territory whose two million population is 90-percent ethnic Albanian, is seen by most Serbs as the cradle of their history, culture and Orthodox Christian religion.
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