Addressing MPs who gathered for an extraordinary session, Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said that Belgrade's negotiating team had defined two major goals: to retain Kosovo within Serbia and to help Serbs remain in Kosovo.
"We cannot and must not do one thing and that is to allow the establishment of another state within our state which would break away a part of our territory," Kostunica said, adding that Serbia was ready for direct negotiations with Kosovo Albanians with the aim of defining "substantial autonomy" for the UN-administered province.
The session was marked by a heated debate and an exchange of accusations about "the guilt for the loss of Kosovo". Deputies of the Serb Radical Party (SDS) insisted that in case the international community allow Kosovo's independence, Belgrade should sever relations with countries accepting that solution.
Serbian President Boris Tadic, who attended the session, said at the end of the debate that he would never sign a decision on Kosovo's independence.
He went on to say that not just Serbia but also "legitimate international institutions" were engaged in the process of deciding on Kosovo's final status and that was why diplomatic channels should be used to protect the interests of the Serbs in Kosovo.
The next round of talks is scheduled for March 17.