Serbs defiant on Kosovo

Belgrade has pledged to carry on ruling parts of Kosovo where "loyal citizens" want to stay Serbian.

In a challenge to Western countries that have recognised the breakaway state, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said: "Serbia will do everything to implement its jurisdiction and state prerogatives for all loyal citizens in Kosovo - Serbs and non-Albanians.

"There cannot be normalisation of relations with the states that recognised Kosovo independence until they annul their decision.

"Protest rallies will not stop as long as illegal independence is not annulled."

More than 1,000 demonstrators took to the streets of the Serb stronghold Mitrovica in northern Kosovo for the seventh day running to protest against the loss of the province.

Serbia's ally Russia has said it will continue to back Serbian sovereignty over Kosovo, which is seen by Serbs as their historic religious heartland despite having an overwhelming majority of ethnic Albanian citizens.

Dmitry Medvedev, tipped to become Russia's next president after next week's election, said: "We assume that Serbia is a single state whose jurisdiction covers all of its territory. We will stick to this position."

US State Department spokesman Tom Casey ruled out any climbdown on American support for an independent Kosovo.

He said: "We are going to continue to try to work with both the Russians and the Serbs on this but I think that it ought to be clear to everybody at this point that Kosovo is never going to be a part of Serbia again."

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.

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