David Lammy was on the second day of his visit to Kosovo, where he met senior officials and urged Pristina to quickly form a new cabinet following the country's parliamentary elections on 9 February.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti's "Self-Determination" party, or "Vetevendosje!", won 48 seats in the 120-seat parliament, short of a majority in its own right.

Lamy assured Pristina that "the UK continues to play its essential role as a key friend and partner of this great nation".The minister expressed support for normalised negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia, which are being mediated by the EU.

"This is a region that matters to the UK," he told a briefing after a meeting with Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani. "We want lasting, peaceful normalisation," Lamy stressed.

Later in Serbia, Lamy discussed the issue with President Aleksandar Vucic, who has faced months of anti-corruption protests by many thousands.

Serbia plays a "fundamental role" in ensuring stability in the Balkans, Lamy said at a joint press conference with Vucic.

Lamy also welcomed the agreement with Belgrade to combat human trafficking in the Balkans, which is aimed at tackling a sharp rise in the number of migrants reaching the UK by small boats across the English Channel.

Vucic said Serbia and the UK had different views on Kosovo's independence, but agreed that "dialogue is key and that problems should be solved through talks to find compromise solutions".

The EU and US insist that Kosovo and Serbia implement agreements reached two years ago, which include Kosovo's commitment to establish an Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities and Serbia's obligation to ensure de facto recognition of Kosovo.

"I hope that the next government will respond to the needs of all citizens, including by making progress in the integration of Kosovo Serbs and actively engaging in the EU-led dialogue," Lamy added. | BGNES