Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga on Aug. 1 said it was the sovereign right of the Republic of Kosovo to control its borders.

"The border issue cannot be discussed with anyone, there can only be cooperation. In that light I see the mandates of KFOR and EULEX - to preserve peace and stability and ensure order and law in Kosovo," Jahjaga told special police units in their camp near the Pristina airport. She toured the airport together with Premier Hashim Thaci.

Vice Premier Edita Tahiri said Kosovo would never agree to discuss northern Kosovo. "I was constantly insisting that the Pristina-Belgrade dialog would not tackle political, but exclusively technical matters," Tahiri stressed.

Tahiri's statement came after local media had reported that the latest events in the north could encourage the opening of talks on a special status for that part of Kosovo.

Tahiri, who is also the chief of the Pristina team in the dialog with Belgrade, said the Kosovo government had not decided yet whether to request the EU to exclude Borislav Stefanovic from the dialog.