Serbia and Kosovo leaders break off talks without result despite EU pressure

By LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo broke off talks Thursday without result, despite European Union pressure to persuade them to normalize their relations. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Albin Kurti met with the leaders of France, Germany and Italy, plus the two EU officials supervising a stuttering “dialogue” between them. As with previous rounds of talks, both men blamed each other for the impasse. Fears are high of a resumption of the violence that has marked Kosovo-Serbia ties since Kosovo unilaterally broke away from Serbia in 2008. Belgrade has never accepted the move. A major gun battle in northern Kosovo last month spurred the Europeans into action.