ATHENS 

Greece assured Serbia that it will not recognize Kosovo during Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias’ recent visit to Belgrade, local media said Friday. 

While it aspires to play the role of “honest mediator” between Serbia and Kosovo, Athens reiterated that it will not recognize Kosovo as an independent state despite the suggestion by the US to do so, according to the Kathimerini newspaper.

The daily reiterated that three other EU states -- Spain, Slovakia and the Greek Cypriot administration -- also did not recognize Kosovo as an independent state.

Athens’ current focus remains on the elections that are expected to be held in May. Such a move would be also untimely, it argued.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, with most UN member-states, including the US, UK, France, Germany and Türkiye, recognizing it as a separate autonomous country.