The new Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said Monday that Serbia would seek to include the United Nations in talks with Kosovo - in a move which may stall the resumption of negotiations.
Nicolic told UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon, who is on a tour of the Western Balkans, "that Serbia will demand the UN to join the talks (with Kosovo," said a statement from the president's office, dpa reported.
Тhe negotiations began in March 2011, under EU pressure for the two sides to resolve some of the problems stemming from Kosovo's secession from Serbia.
The talks were interrupted ahead of Serbia's general election in May, in which Nikolic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) swept two-time president Boris Tadic and his Democrats from power.
It remains to be seen whether the ruling coalition, due to assume power later this week, will agree to resume the talks or will seek new conditions - such as UN involvement - in an apparent effort to stall the negotiations.
Earlier Monday, the head of the EU office in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, said Brussels would soon invite the two sides back to the table.
Kosovo, which has a mostly Albanian population, split from Serbia in 2008, nine years after NATO ended ethnic bloodshed there by ousting Belgrade's armed forces.
Although Kosovo has been recognized by leading Western powers and 22 out of the 27 EU nations, Serbia continues to insist on sovereignty over the territory and has, with Russia's aid, blocked its recognition in the United Nations.
The UN effectively governed Kosovo for a while after the conflict, but now only has a small, token mission there.