Dhaka  - Bangladesh will not recognize the former Yugoslav republic Kosovo at the present, Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary said Saturday, in an apparent attempt to maintain good relations with major foreign powers.

"We don't feel the necessity to recognize Kosovo at this moment," Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes told reporters at a weekly press briefing, adding that his government would consider "many factors" before taking a decision to this end.

"If we recognize Kosovo, we are certainly taking a side. But if we don't, we are not leaning to any side," said the foreign secretary.

Since early 2008, the United States has been pursuing Bangladesh to recognize the independence of Kosovo, which like Bangladesh also has a Muslim majority.

On Wednesday, US Ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty met with Foreign Minister Dipu Moni with a request to Dhaka for recognition of the disputed Balkan state.

Bangladesh, the world's third largest Muslim-majority nation, wants to maintain friendly relations with both the US and Russia, the secretary said.

Russia backs Serbia in rejecting the independence of Kosovo, which approved a declaration of independence on February 17, 2008.

Of the other members of United Nations Security Council with veto power, the United States, Britain and France recognize the declaration of independence while China has expressed concern over it.

Fifty-eight countries including Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the UAE and Turkey have officially recognized Kosovo as an independent republic.  (dpa)