Serb PM claims Nato bias over Kosovo clash

SERBIA accused western forces yesterday of taking sides in a dispute between Kosovo's ethnic Serbs and Albanians and said their actions may lead to a "humanitarian catastrophe".

Nato's KFOR peacekeeping force has barred trucks from entering northern Kosovo, dominated by ethnic Serbs, because it is not able to inspect cargo.

Serb premier Mirko Cvetkovic said: "Representatives of the international community must remain neutral and should not take sides as they are doing now by refusing to talk with legitimate representatives of the Republic of Serbia and by blockading convoys of food, which could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe."

Nato rejected Mr Cvetkovic's accusation. Spokeswoman Carmen Romero said: "Nato is not taking sides. We remain neutral, providing a safe and secure environment as mandated to KFOR, to Nato by the UN Security Council."

Earlier yesterday, Nato said it would send hundreds more troops to Kosovo following the outbreak of violence in the border area between ethnic Albanians and Serbs last week. The latest crisis flared after Kosovo sent Albanian special police to border posts once staffed by ethnic Serbs to enforce a ban on imports from Serbia.

Nato then sent in its peacekeepers after three days of violence in which an ethnic Albanian policeman was shot dead and Serbs torched a border crossing.