Washington expressed concern today over indications Serbia's next government will rely on backing from Slobodan Milosevic's Socialist Party, saying the jailed ex-leader had brought "untold suffering" to the Balkans.
"We are...concerned that a new government supported by the Socialist Party would be unstable and unable to lead Serbia effectively in the right direction," the State Department said.
The once-mighty Socialist Party (SPS) yesterday helped break a six-week deadlock after an inconclusive general election on December 28th, supporting a senior ally of former Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica as new parliament speaker.
Speaker Mr Dragan Marsicanin is expected to nominate Mr Kostunica, a conservative who played a key role in ousting Milosevic in 2000, as new prime minister designate.
Mr Kostunica, a self-styled moderate nationalist, is planning a minority coalition with liberal and royalist parties. A bitter row has blocked partnership with the Democratic Party (DS), the main reformist party which dominated the outgoing government.
Mr Kostunica has ruled out including the SPS in government but not the possibility of it backing a his coalition in parliament.
The State Department said in a statement on the web site of the US embassy in Belgrade it respected the democratic process and understood the urgency in setting up a new government.