Slovakia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikulas Dzurinda has said that his country is against recognition of Kosovo's independence and stressed that the unilateral secession is not in the interest of Europe.

If Serbs now feel cheated, I can understand, Dzurinda said in an interview with the Austrian Die Presse, recalling that Resol 1244 envisages only a 'substantial autonomy' for Kosovo.

Commenting on a statement that Slovakia supported the military intervention in Kosovo, the foreign minister said that he strongly supported offering Slovakia's air space to NATO because he was convinced at the time that Milosevic's ethnic cleansing was a very bad thing.

Durinda said that he is convinced that the decision was right. But with the same devotion to the values and principles I now believe that the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo without Serbia's consent or consideration is unfair, Dzurinda said.