Serbia's ruling parties say will back deal with Kosovo

PanARMENIAN.Net - Serbia's ruling parties say they will support a potentially landmark agreement to normalize relations with breakaway Kosovo that could end years of tensions and put both states on a path to European Union membership, The Associated Press reported.

The prime ministers of Serbia and Kosovo reached a tentative EU-mediated deal Friday, April 19 that would give Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership authority over rebel Kosovo Serbs. In return, the minority Serbs would get wide autonomy within Kosovo.

The deal still has to be approved by Serbia and Kosovo. Leaders of the two main ruling parties in Serbia said Sunday they will support the deal at a government session scheduled for Monday.

The agreement has triggered outrage among Serb nationalists.

Kosovo, considered the medieval cradle of the Serbian state, declared independence in 2008.