NATO closes Kosovo border

PRISTINA, Kosovo, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- NATO closed the Kosovar-Serbian border Wednesday as an EU representative arrived in newly independent Kosovo to help establish administrative bodies.

Pieter Feith, the EU special representative for Kosovo, arrived in Pristina as NATO and U.N. peacekeepers worked to secure the border that came under attack from neighboring Serbia, Euronews.net said.

Serbian protesters fired on border security forces Tuesday, prompting U.N. peacekeepers and Kosovar police to retreat. Radio Free Europe reported NATO officials closed the border to Serbia Wednesday for 24 hours.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia Sunday but Serbian officials said they wouldn't give up what they consider their religious heartland in Serbia.

Moscow, a strong supporter of Serbia, said called the EU mission in Kosovo a "breach of international law." EU officials, however, told Radio Free Europe they remained determined to help Kosovo emerge as a nation.