The European Union will host Wednesday another round of Serbia-Kosovo talks amid speculation that a deal is in sight to end years of tensions and pave the way for closer ties with the bloc, officials said. EU foreign affairs head Catherine Ashton, who has chaired eight rounds of EU-sponsored talks, said Tuesday she had invited Serb Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci to Brussels. "I have asked them to come in a constructive spirit, ready to explore different options and agree to a mutual compromise," she said.

Germany warned Serbia Tuesday that its bid to join the European Union will remain on ice until it settles its dispute with Kosovo, after talks with Pristina's visiting foreign minister. "The normalisation of relations (between Serbia and Kosovo) is among the criteria for Serbia's goal of closer European integration," German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told reporters after meeting his Kosovo counterpart Enver Hoxhaj.

Germany warned Serbia Tuesday that its bid to join the European Union will remain on ice until it settles its dispute with Kosovo, after talks with Pristina's visiting foreign minister. "The normalisation of relations (between Serbia and Kosovo) is among the criteria for Serbia's goal of closer European integration," German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told reporters after meeting his Kosovo counterpart Enver Hoxha.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will visit the Western Balkans this week, when the European Commission is due to decide whether to recommend the start of EU membership talks with Serbia and possibly Macedonia. Ashton's trip will take her to Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia, an EU statement said on Sunday. It said further stops on the tour would be announced later, leaving open the possibility that Serbia could be included.