Serbia-Montenegro lodged on Wednesday a strong protest against Switzerland, which is advocating a conditional independence for the Serbian province of Kosovo.

"The statement (by Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey) is contrary to UN Security Council Resolution 1244," the Serbia-Montenegro Foreign Ministry said in a protest with the charge d'affairs of the Swiss embassy in Belgrade.

Calmy-Rey said on Monday in Kosovo that her country is for the independence of Kosovo under international supervision as returning the region to the control of Serbia is undesirable and unrealistic.

The Serbia-Montenegro Foreign Ministry accused Switzerland of prejudging the future status of the province even before the international community started negotiations on that topic.

A province of Serbia, Kosovo has been under UN administration since the end of Kosovo war in June 1999.

According to Calmy-Rey, Switzerland is convinced that the status quo of Kosovo is unacceptable and untenable as such a situation is hindering Kosovo's economic development.

Source: Xinhua