Serbia's Socialist Party has entered formal coalition talks with thepro-western alliance of President Boris Tadic, after abandoning effortsto create a parliamentary majority with the nationalists.
Socialistleader Ivica Dacic told reporters on Saturday that a coalition with theRadical Party and the Democratic Party of Serbia is "no longerfeasible," because his party has "no common view on key issues" withthe nationalists.
President Tadic's coalition won the most seatsin last month's parliamentary elections, but not the outright majorityneeded to form a government.
The 20 seats garnered by theSocialist Party of the late Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic wouldguarantee either side a parliamentary majority in the 250-seat assembly.
Serbiaheld early elections on May 11th after the ruling coalition split overthe country's EU integration, following Kosovo's declaration ofindependence from Belgrade in February. Many countries, including theU.S. and most EU members, recognized Kosovo's independence.
Theultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party and the Democratic Party ofSerbia, led by Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, have pledged tooppose closer EU ties unless the union recognizes Kosovo as an integralpart of Serbia. President Tadic and his supporters want to continuethe EU integration process regardless of the status of Kosovo.
All of Serbia's top leaders say they will never recognize Kosovo's unilateral move.