Serbia says won't accept EU trade-off over Kosovo

BELGRADE - Serbia would never agree to give up its Kosovo province in exchange for speeding up accession to the European Union, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said on Friday.

A draft statement for Friday's EU summit, obtained by Reuters, indicated Brussels would offer Serbia a fast track to candidate status. It also says talks on Kosovo had been exhausted, the status quo was untenable and a settlement of Kosovo's future status was essential for Balkan stability.

Jeremic told reporters that Serbia does not see Kosovo as something that can be compensated by European Union membership.

"A trade-off is out of question," Jeremic said. "It would be an indecent proposal, and European leaders are decent people, they have not made such an offer."

Kosovo's Albanian majority plans to declare independence in early 2008. The United States and most EU members have indicated they will recognise the territory as a state.