Miliband hint over Kosovo

But Mr Miliband called for restraint from the province's Albanian majority, arguing that any move towards independence should take place as part of a structured process overseen by international institutions.

Speaking before attending a meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss the current crisis, Mr Miliband said Europe could not stand by and watch growing tensions in the former Yugoslavia descend once more into bloodshed, and warned that more Nato troops may have to be deployed if the situation deteriorates.

Monday is the scheduled United Nations deadline for finding an agreement on the future status of Kosovo, after which the province's Albanian majority have threatened unilaterally to declare independence.

The meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels will be briefed by the EU's envoy to the Kosovo talks, Wolfgang Ischinger.

The Foreign Secretary said European nations must decide whether they want to "take a lead" on Kosovo and prevent a return to the bloodshed of the 1990s, when Yugoslavia broke up in a series of wars.

He acknowledged that this might mean additional European troops on the ground in Kosovo, to bolster the 16,000-strong Nato force already committed.

Mr Miliband told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "We face a very stark choice. Why did we end up in the mid-1990s with the terrible tragedies of Bosnia? We ended up there because Europe stood on the sidelines wringing its hands and hoping something would turn up. The way to avoid that sort of bloodshed and strife is for European countries to take a lead.

"This is Europe's backyard. If we ignore the problem, we are not going to solve it. If we pretend there is only a military solution, we won't solve it. If we (deal) with political, economic, social and security issues, we can make a difference there, recognising the legitimate aspirations of Kosovars."

Asked if Britain was prepared to recognise a Kosovo that declared independence from Serbia, Mr Miliband replied: "The short answer to that is yes." But he added: "In the Balkans, it is important to avoid short answers and recognise it is a very complicated situation."