Serbian train slogan inflames Kosovo

BELGRADE: Serbia’s president on Sunday said Kosovo had shown it wanted war with Serbia after it deployed special forces to prevent a train painted with Serbia’s national colours and the words ‘‘Kosovo is Serbia’’ from entering its territory.

President Tomislav Nikolic said the neighbours had been ‘‘on the brink of conflict’’ on Saturday, while Kosovo’s prime minister told reporters the train, a project of the Serbian Government, sent ‘‘a message of occupation’’.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 but Serbia still considers it part of its territory.

The train left Belgrade for Mitrovica, in northern Kosovo, on Saturday, but stopped after hearing about the special forces being deployed to stop it at the border.