Kosovo to attend EU-Balkans summit as a a state: PM

(PRISTINA) - Kosovo will attend an EU-Balkans summit as a fully fledged state and equal to other participants from the region including Serbia, which opposes its independence, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said Tuesday.

"I have received an invitation to take part in the meeting in (the Slovenian town of) Brdo as the prime minister of the government of the Republic of Kosovo," Thaci told reporters.

He said his response to the invitation was "positive".

"Kosovo is invited as a state and will be represented as a state at the same level as other countries in the region."

An initiative of Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor and his Croatian counterpart Jadranka Kosor, the EU-Balkans conference is to be held on March 20.

It aims to solve some of the issues in the region and boost its integration into Europe.

Serbia has threatened to boycott the conference at Brdo pri Kranju, near Ljubljana if Kosovo attends as an independent state.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February 2008 and is recognised by 65 countries, including the United States and all but five European Union members.

Backed by its traditional ally Russia, Serbia fiercely opposes the independence of the breakaway territory, considering still it as its southern province.

Serbia boycotts all international meetings where Kosovar leaders are invited as state representatives.

Last month Serbian President Boris Tadic boycotted the inauguration of new Croatian President Ivo Josipovic because of Kosovo leader Fatmir Sejdiu's presence.