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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7244333.stm
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that recognition of Kosovo independence - expected within days - would be immoral and illegal.
The UN Security Council will hold a closed meeting on Thursday to discuss Kosovo, which is poised to declare independence from Serbia.
It would be "not moral and not legal" to back the declaration, Mr Putin said. The UN meeting is being held at the request of Serbia, which is strongly opposed to Kosovo's attempt to secede.
Kosovo is expected to make an independence declaration on Sunday or Monday.
Serbia's ambassador to the UN told the BBC that Belgrade would refrain from retaliatory measures against Kosovo. But Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica warned that his country would not allow itself to be humiliated by a "puppet state" on its territory.
The government in Belgrade announced it was rejecting Kosovo's plans in advance. "This [decision] annuls the acts and actions of the interim government of Kosovo that proclaim unilateral independence, because they violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia," it declared in a statement.
It also said it would "void all decisions by the European Union to send a [civilian] mission to Kosovo".
The US and many EU countries plan to recognise Kosovo's independence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that recognition of Kosovo independence - expected within days - would be immoral and illegal.
The UN Security Council will hold a closed meeting on Thursday to discuss Kosovo, which is poised to declare independence from Serbia.
It would be "not moral and not legal" to back the declaration, Mr Putin said. The UN meeting is being held at the request of Serbia, which is strongly opposed to Kosovo's attempt to secede.
Kosovo is expected to make an independence declaration on Sunday or Monday.
Serbia's ambassador to the UN told the BBC that Belgrade would refrain from retaliatory measures against Kosovo. But Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica warned that his country would not allow itself to be humiliated by a "puppet state" on its territory.
The government in Belgrade announced it was rejecting Kosovo's plans in advance. "This [decision] annuls the acts and actions of the interim government of Kosovo that proclaim unilateral independence, because they violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia," it declared in a statement.
It also said it would "void all decisions by the European Union to send a [civilian] mission to Kosovo".
The US and many EU countries plan to recognise Kosovo's independence.
