(BELGRADE) - An agreement to hand over UN property in Kosovo to a European Union mission violates international law, Serbia's minister for the breakaway province Goran Bogdanovic said Tuesday.

"We are against the agreement between UNMIK and EULEX because it violates UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and international law," Tanjug news agency quoted Bogdanovic as telling journalists on a visit to Kosovo.

Resolution 1244 authorised the presence of UNMIK, the interim UN mission in Kosovo, after NATO bombing in 1999 drove out Serbian forces waging a crackdown on ethnic Albanian guerillas and their civilian supporters.

The United Nations began downsizing the mission on Monday, when it also signed an agreement to give its incoming European Union counterpart EULEX property including buildings, vehicles and equipment.

Those steps were in line with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's plans to put EULEX under the umbrella of a reconfigured UNMIK, as he announced in June just days before Kosovo adopted its first constitution.

But Belgrade remains staunchly opposed to any changes in Kosovo outside of 1244, which also affirms Serbia's sovereignty over the territory it views as the cradle of its history, culture and religion.

"The Serbian government does not accept the reconfiguration of UNMIK, nor the agreement with EULEX," said Bogdanovic.

"All deals that aren't passed by the Security Council are unacceptable for Serbia," added the Serbian minister for Kosovo.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17. Russia and China supported Serbia's rejection of the move before the Security Council, but Kosovo has since been recognised by 45 countries including most EU nations.

So far, the EU mission has deployed 285 officials including police, judges, prosecutors and custom officers in Kosovo. It will eventually employ around 3,000 officials.

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