By Fatos Bytyci
PRISTINA (Reuters) - The European Union's envoy in Kosovoappealed to Serbs for cooperation on the sixth day of protestsagainst the declaration of independence by Serbia's formerprovince.
Pieter Feith confirmed on Saturday his mission had movedits staff from the Serb stronghold of north Mitrovica. Aninternational official told Reuters on Friday the small EU teamhad been relocated a week ago due to security concerns.
Mobs stormed the U.S. embassy in Belgrade on Thursday,after hundreds of Serbs burned down two border posts in northKosovo in response to the secession. British, German, Croatianand Turkish missions were also attacked.
A senior Serb minister blamed Washington for the violence.
"The U.S. is the major culprit for all troubles sinceFebruary 17," Serb Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic toldthe state news agency Tanjug. "The root of violence is theviolation of international law."
Feith, the EU's new civilian representative in Kosovo,urged the Serb minority to accept political facts.
"I would like to appeal to the Serb community to begenerous and to turn the page and look forward to workingtogether with us," Feith told reporters in the southern town ofPrizren.
"We have temporarily brought back our personnel but we willmaintain our office in the north. We hope that conditions willsoon allow us to resume our activities."
The EU's sub-office stands empty and locked in Mitrovicawhere several thousand Serbs rallied on Saturday. Riot policeguarded the main bridge that leads to the Albanian south sideof the town.
The 2,000-strong EU rule of law mission is taking oversupervision of Kosovo from the United Nations followingPristina's declaration of independence from Serbia on Sunday.
RELIGIOUS HEARTLAND
The United States and major EU powers have recognised thenew country to the fury of Belgrade. The U.S. State Departmenthas said family members and non-core personnel from theBelgrade mission will be relocated until security improves.
Kosovo has been run by the United Nations since 1999, whenNATO bombed to drive out Serb forces to halt the killing andethnic cleansing of Albanians in a two-year war against rebels.
The EU faces a challenge to impose its authority in thenorth where Serbs backed by Belgrade and Russia have servednotice the mission will be treated as "occupiers".
The violence has fuelled Albanian fears that Kosovo couldbe heading for partition.
Hundreds of Serbs - including many bussed in from Serbia -burned down two border posts in the north on Tuesday, forcingNATO to intervene, evacuate U.N. staff and shut down theborder.
The north is home to just under half of Kosovo's 120,000remaining Serbs, the rest living in scattered enclaves guardedby a 16,000-strong NATO peace force.
Many Serbs regard Kosovo as their religious heartland,steeped in myth and rich in Orthodox Christian heritage.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's favoured successor,first deputy prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, was due inBelgrade on Monday to meet officials.
(Additional reporting by Ivana Sekularac; Writing by MattRobinson; Editing by Robert Woodward)