Q&A: Kosovo's future

Kosovo's parliament voted for independence from Serbia on 17 February, and put a new constitution into place four months later.

But the move remains very controversial, both among the populations of Serbia and Kosovo, and the wider international community. More than 40 countries have recognised it so far - but the United Nations has not.

What is Kosovo's current status?

Kosovo's parliament has pressed ahead with the rapid adoption of packages of law setting out the framework of independence. A new constitution was adopted in April, and came into force in June, transferring power to the majority ethnic-Albanian government after nine years of UN rule. A national anthem has also been adopted.

Kosovo has applied for membership of the the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

More than 40 countries have recognised its independence so far, including the US, Turkey, and 20 of the EU's 27 nations, including the UK, Germany, France and Italy.

But Serbia and Kosovo's minority Serbs are vehemently against it - and they have the support of Russia and China. Soon after the independence declaration, Serbia's Prime Minister at the time, Vojislav Kostunica, damned Kosovo as a "false state".

Russia is likely to continue to block recognition at the United Nations, using its veto if necessary.

And Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Greece are opposed to independence, citing concerns about international law and fearing that recognition may encourage separatists elsewhere.

What happens next?

Under a plan drawn up by UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari for "supervised independence", the European Union was supposed to deploy 2,000 officials for a mission to strengthen law and order in Kosovo, taking over responsibilities from the United Nations.

However, this has been delayed, following objections from Russia, which opposes UN withdrawal.

The EU force, known as EULEX, is now scheduled to be up-and-running later in the year - and will initially operate only under the auspices of the UN's UNMIK operation.

The EU staff will consist of police officers, judges, prosecutors and customs officials.

Meanwhile Nato troops, called K-For, will remain responsible for Kosovo's security, and will train up a new 2,500-member multi-ethnic internal security force in Kosovo.

Why is Russia so opposed to an independent Kosovo?

Russia is a traditional ally of Serbia - considering it to share a Slavic and Orthodox Christian tradition - and opposed Nato intervention in Kosovo in 1999.

A bridge over the Ibar River marks the ethnic divide in Mitrovica

Russia fears that recognition of Kosovo could open a "Pandora's box" of independence claims.

It says there is little difference between the separatism of Kosovo and the ambitions of pro-Russian areas such as Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia and Trans-Dniester in Moldova. In fact, since Kosovo declared independence it has stepped up its support for separatists in the Georgian breakaway regions.

Russia is also concerned by the EU's expansion into the Balkans. Brussels recently offered Belgrade an interim agreement on the path towards EU membership.

How has Serbia reacted?

Serbia's main political parties are unanimous in their rejection of Kosovo as an independent state, but the declaration ultimately led to the collapse of Vojislav Kostunica's government, as the main coalition partners split over the EU's plans to deploy in Kosovo.

Elections in May were won by President Boris Tadic's pro-EU alliance.

After weeks of negotiations, the bloc formed a coalition government with its former rivals, the Socialists.

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic promised to take Serbia into the EU, but said Belgrade would never recognise Kosovo's independence.

What will happen to Kosovo's Serb minority?

Kosovo's two million-population includes an estimated 120,000 ethnic Serbs, many of whom live in Serb-dominated areas north of the Ibar river, adjoining Serbia proper. Half of the population lives under Nato protection in scattered enclaves south of the Ibar river.

Serbs are anxious to protect their scattered Orthodox churches

Under the UN plan, the Serb minority would have guaranteed places in local government and parliament, proportionate representation in the police and civil service, and a special status for the Serbian Orthodox Church.

However, Serb hardliners have vowed not to co-operate. Some 150 Kosovo Serb police officers in the south-east were suspended when they refused to take orders from the capital, Pristina.

A degree of partition is already a fact of life in the Serb-dominated areas, and in June 2008 Kosovo Serbs set up their own rival assembly in Mitrovica.

Although it has no real powers, it is a challenge to the ethnic Albanian government in Pristina and will strengthen the parallel Serb institutions, correspondents say.

Officials said the assembly would help "co-ordination" with the Serb authorities in Belgrade.

But Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu described it as "an attempt to destabilise Kosovo", and a UN spokesman called the assembly a "virtual reality".

Could tensions turn to violence?

Crowds of Serbs reacted angrily to the independence declaration. They burned down two border posts in northern Kosovo and staged mass protest rallies. Nato reinforcements were sent to secure the border with Serbia.

A riot in March left one UN policeman dead.

Nato forces have stepped up their state of alert, especially in ethnically mixed areas of Kosovo.

The key question is whether they will be able to control flashpoints such as the main northern town of Mitrovica, where ethnic Serbs live north of the Ibar river and ethnic Albanians to the south.

The alliance was heavily criticised in 2004, when its troops failed to quell ethnic Albanian riots targeting Serbs.

However, there have been few signs that discontent could turn into organised violence, or that ethnic populations might be forced to leave their homes.