International recognition of Kosovo

Athletes from the Balkans' newest state may be able to compete in Rio, Brazil, in 2016, after the International Olympic Committee granted provisional recognition to Kosovo's Olympic Committee.

Albanian PM wants Serbia "to recognize Kosovo"

TIRANA -- "The sooner Serbia formally recognizes that Kosovo will never again be its part, the better for Serbia and the region," says Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

In an interview for the AP, he added that he "firmly felt and believed" that "they have already recognized it without saying so."

PRISTINA - Kosovo Minister of Foreign Affairs Enver Hodzaj and Minister of Economic Development Fadilj Ismailji will take part in the ministerial meeting of regional countries in Belgrade on Thursday, Prime Minister Hasim Taci in the outgoing Pristina government announced.

Serbian PM invited to visit Vatican

BELGRADE -- Aleksandar Vučić met with Papal Nuncio Orlando Antonini in Belgrade on Monday thanking him for "the selfless assistance to Serbia during the floods."

BELGRADE - At a meeting with Papal Nuncio Orlando Antonini on Monday, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic thanked the Vatican for the selfless assistance to Serbia during the floods, noting his appreciation of the Vatican's principled position regarding non-recognition of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence.

BELGRADE - Kosovo's Deputy Minister of Interior Sasa Rasic has said that the situation with Kosovo citizens going off to fight for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria was very dangerous.

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has used Britain's left-of-centre Guardian newspaper to dismiss claims that Kosovo is harbouring radical Islamists.

Kosovo imposes sanctions, Russians amused

MOSCOW -- Kosovo joining sanctions imposed against Russia "can only cause a smile," the head of the Duma Foreign Affairs Committee, Aleksei Pushkov, has said.

FM: Maintain level of UNMIK's presence

BELGRADE -- Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić met on Friday with UN Secretary General Representative and Head of the UN Office in Belgrade Peter Due.

They discussed "Serbia's cooperation with the UN on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244."

Russia's deputy foreign minister visits Belgrade

BELGRADE -- Relations between Serbia and Russia are "on a high level," Serbian FM Ivica Dačić and visiting Russian Deputy FM Gennady Gatilov agreed on Monday.

Gatilov is on an official visit to Serbia.