US Again Warns Kosovo

The U.S. Embassy in Kosovo has repeated its strong opposition to attempts by Kosovar leaders to abolish a new war crimes court set up to try ethnic Albanian ex-guerrillas.

The statement from Kosovo's traditionally close ally on December 29 warned that any renewed efforts to scrap the tribunal "would have profound negative consequences for Kosovo's European future and its relationship with the United States."

The court, based in The Hague, was set up to prosecute crimes allegedly committed by top members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA / UCK) as it battled Serbian forces in 1998-1999 war.

It is poised to begin issuing indictments.

Dozens of Kosovo's lawmakers made a failed bid last week to revoke the law allowing the tribunal's work to go ahead, after war veterans handed in a petition saying the court was "biased."

"Kosovo's leaders have made...