By Shaban Buza
PRISTINA (Reuters) - NATO thwarted overnight a bid byKosovo Serbs to assert their authority in a northern slice ofthe newly independent republic, restoring control on the borderwith Serbia where crowds had burnt down two crossing points.
"I just want everybody to be fully aware of mydetermination to maintain, restore a safe and secureenvironment wherever in Kosovo," said General Xavier deMarnhac, commander of the NATO-led peacekeeping force, KFOR.
He said Kosovan and U.N. authority would be restored at thecrossings, known as Gate 1 and Gate 3-1, which would reopenonce the destroyed customs and police buildings had beenrepaired.
The test of Western resolve to back up Kosovo'sindependence with military force came on Tuesday, two daysafter Pristina declared its secession from Serbia, a step theWest has backed.
NATO said the attacks were clearly an organised challenge.
Destroying the border posts was "perhaps not pretty, butlegitimate", said Serbia's Minister for Kosovo, SlobodanSamardzic, who added that Serbia planned to take over customsauthority in northern Kosovo.
Kosovo's U.N. administrator Joachim Ruecker said the actionwas no legitimate at all.
"The Serbian government is bound by their commitment torefrain from all acts that could be seen as encouragingviolence and this was really violence so I disagree with thatstatement," he told a news conference with KFOR commander deMarnhac.
ORDER RESTORED
The crossings were empty for some hours on Tuesday afterKosovo and U.N. police pulled out and called NATO for help.
Some 40 French and U.S. troops moved in and put coils ofrazor wire across the Jarinje post, where Serbs had burnt downthe buildings and pushed official vehicles over a ravine.
The peacekeepers were harassed by stone-throwing Serb menbut held the position without major incident, backed by PolishU.N. riot police. NATO also secured the other crossing nearZubin Potok town.
The NATO force commander accused "some local leaders" inthe Serb-dominated north of putting women and children at risk.
"Everybody has been very lucky, the way it went. But theleaders should think very deeply on their responsibility whenthey trigger this type of demonstration," de Marnhac said.
Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said the comments by theSerbian minister Samardzic "belong to the past and do not atall fit with the current situation".
Pristina's declaration of independence from Serbia, quicklyrecognised by the United States and EU powers, was denounced bySerbia and Russia as an illegal violation of a U.N. resolutionon Kosovo, whose population is mainly Albanian.
Serbia has recalled envoys and plans a mass protest marchin Belgrade for Thursday but says it will not resort toviolence.
The border attacks highlight the challenge facing an EUlaw-enforcement mission deploying soon to Kosovo, which hasbeen under U.N. administration for nearly nine years followingNATO's air war to push out Serb forces.
The EU mission does not have a U.N. mandate.
Serbia does not recognise its authority, and Serb allyRussia has warned it will not permit any attempts at"repressive measures should Serbs in Kosovo decide not tocomply".
"The EU's unilateral decision to send a mission ... toKosovo ... is in breach of the highest international law,"Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
Russia, which has no troops in the Balkans, says Westernrecognition of Kosovo will open a "Pandora's Box" of separatisttension across Europe.
Pieter Feith, the EU's new special representative inPristina, told a news conference Kosovo Serbs should stay andfeel welcome in the new republic but the Serb-dominated northwould not be permitted to opt out.
"It is the intention of the European Union to deploy itspresences ... the rule-of-law mission, for police, judges,prosecutors ... that we will deploy all over Kosovo," he said."And all over the territory of Kosovo includes the north."
"It should be clear to the Serb community that we are not athreat to their way of life and they should not feel afraid."
EU defence ministers will review security arrangements inthe Balkans on Thursday.
NATO says it has no immediate plans to reduce the strengthof KFOR, which is about 17,000 made up by contingents from 35countries led by Germany, Italy, France and the United States.
(Writing by Douglas Hamilton; edited by Richard Meares)
