Belgrade - The new Serbian government plans to steer the country toward a European future, but it will not recognize the independence of Kosovo, designated prime minister Mirko Cvetkovic said Monday.

Addressing the parliament, which was set to vote on the new cabinet later Monday, Cvetkovic also said Belgrade would seek to improve relations with the United States, after cooling them in protest at Washington's support for Kosovo's split from Serbia.

The finance minister in the previous government, Cvetkovic now plans to lead a cabinet of 27 members, the largest since Slobodan Milosevic's last government, ruling until
2000.

The ruling coalition was forged between pro-European President Boris Tadic's Democratic Party (DS) and Milosevic's Socialist Party (SPS), along with several ethnic minority representatives.

Politically and diplomatically, the new authorities face a difficult task of reconciling the aspiration of the majority in Serbia for the country's membership of the European Union with the hurt over Kosovo's secession, which followed a nod from the West.

Serbia has downgraded diplomatic relations with all the nations, more than 40, including leading Western powers, which have recognized Kosovo since it declared independence in February.

Virtually all major Serbian leaders said they would never recognize Kosovo, viewed by Serbs as their heartland.

Economically, Cvetkovic has to deal with stalled reforms, bloated spending, an overrated national currency and rising prices, all complicated by endemic corruption.

Cvetkovic singled out the fight against corruption as one of his priorities, like most of his predecessors.

The Serbian assembly is scheduled to vote on Cvetkovic's cabinet later Monday, after a debate limited to a total of five hours in order to prevent the usual filibustering. (dpa)