NATO beefs up its troop presence near the disputed Kosovo border with Serbia.<br/> Tensions came to a head on Tuesday when 16 Kosovo Serbs and four peacekeepers were injured in a shootout.<br/> Witnesses said NATO troops used fire arms to disperse ethnic Serb protesters.<br/> Two weeks ago Pristina sent police and customs officials to the region to shore up its authority in an area with strong links to neighbouring Serbia.<br/> Ethnic Serbs retaliated by blocking roads and building a dirt track that bypassed the official crossing point.<br/> (SOUNDBITE) (English) SERBIA'S STATE SECRETARY FOR KOSOVO, OLIVER IVANOVIC, SAYING:<br/> "Yesterday incident between the KFOR and peaceful demonstrators is something what we have to forget, but certainly that's a lesson learnt. I just hope that KFOR will establish the regular communications with the local leaders, with the mayors, in a way to try to calm down the situation and certainly prepare the ground for the some kind of political negotiations.''<br/> The European Commission says the Serbian delegation walked out of EU-mediated talks with Kosovo on Wednesday.<br/> (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPOKESPERSON FOR EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF CATHERINE ASHTON, MAJA KOCIJANCIC, SAYING:<br/> ''We expect that the dialogue will continue when Serbia side is ready to re-engage. You know that the purpose of the process remains to discuss issues that are aimed at improving lives of the people and bringing the parties closer to the EU. I expect that we will be consulting both Pristina and Belgrade shortly to seek ways how to make progress.''<br/> Belgrade is keen to join the EU but it must mend ties with Kosovo to secure a date for accession talks.<br/> Lily Grimes, Reuters
