Belgrade: Serbia has recalled its ambassador to the US in response to Washington's recognition of Kosovo's independence, Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said.

"This decision by the United States will not turn the false state (of Kosovo) into a real one," Kostunica told parliament yesterday. "The government has ordered the immediate withdrawal of the ambassador from Washington."

Kostunica said US recognition showed "the true face of America."

He said Kosovo s independence declaration was "unilateral, illegal and immoral, carried out under protection of brutal force of the United States and NATO."

"America violated international law for its own interests," he said.

Last week, Belgrade vowed to downgrade  but not cut  diplomatic ties with all nations that recognize Kosovo's independence.

It was likely that Serbia s envoys to Britain, France, Germany and other countries that have formally accepted the breakaway province as a new state will be withdrawn in coming days.

"America and the European Union are stealing Kosovo from us, everyone must realize that," said Tomislav Nikolic, the head of the ultra-nationalist Radical Party. "From this moment on, we must count the days until we liberate Kosovo."

Source : PTI