US halts Kosovo talks over Serbs

The United States has refused to reopen major strategic talks with Kosovo until the government fulfills pledges to its Serb minority.

Washington suspended the diplomatic dialogue last September, warning that police actions against Serb institutions were driving serious regional instability.

State Department officials say future meetings will remain blocked until Pristina honors older agreements and grants local Serbs more autonomy.

The warning came a day before American diplomats open their first official strategic talks with Serbia.