Pristina - US Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Monday rejected a break-up of Kosovo after Serbia renewed its threat to seek secession of the former province's minority Serbs.

Gates was the first US cabinet member to visit Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia in February.

He met Kosovo's leaders and was visiting US troops stationed in Kosovo.

"The United States supports the territorial integrity of Kosovo," he told reporters in the capital, Pristina.

London, Oct. 7 : US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has accused the British ambassador and top military commander in Afghanistan of being "defeatist" for saying the Taliban could not be beaten.

"While we face significant challenges in Afghanistan, there certainly is no reason to be defeatist or to underestimate the opportunities to be successful in the long run," The Telegraph quoted Gates as saying onboard a military aircraft flying to Europe for NATO meetings.

Washington, Sept 24 : US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said that the greatest threat of terrorism against the US came from the Tribal Areas of Pakistan.

“If you asked me today where the greatest threat to the homeland lies, I would tell you it’s in western Pakistan,” the Daily Times quoted Gates as telling a US Congressional panel.

In the recent past too, US officials have said that Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters used Pakistan’s Tribal Areas a safe haven to launch attacks inside Afghanistan and plot against the US.

Washington, Sept 24 : US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has reportedly said that the US was justified under international law in conducting unilateral military operations inside Pakistan to protect American troops.

He also said that the US State Department must have consulted appropriate international laws before going ahead on launching unilateral strikes on Pakistani soil.

London, Sep 20: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said that American military chiefs are in close contact with the new Pakistani leadership and are on the ‘most productive path’ in dealing with al Qaeda, the Taliban and other insurgents in co-operation with the country.

Gates was in London for the NATO Defence Ministers’ meeting in which the United States is seeking 20 billion dollars from its allies to help stabilise Afghanistan by sending more troops to confront the growing insurgency.

Kabul  - US Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Kabul on a surprise visit Tuesday for talks with coalition commanders and Afghan leader Hamid Karzai amid growing concerns that the resurgent Taliban are gaining strength.

Afghan and international military sources revealed that Gates was expected to hold talks with US-led coalition commanders on the ground to get first hand information on fight against the resurgent Taliban.