The United Nations mission in Kosovo blamed the Serbian Orthodox church on Wednesday for halting efforts to rebuild religious sites targeted during ethnic Albanian riots in March.
It said the head of the Serbian church in Kosovo, Bishop Artemije, had unilaterally withdrawn from a reconstruction pact.
Bishop Artemije said earlier he would pull out due to a lack of progress seven months after mobs torched dozens of Serb churches and monasteries. Funds have been earmarked for the reconstruction but work has yet to start on any of the sites.
"The Bishop's cancellation of his earlier agreement and withdrawal of his representative from the process has suspended ongoing preparations for reconstruction," the U.N mission said in a statement.
The move reflects deteriorating relations between Kosovo's U.N. mission and those Serbs, including the church, who advocate a Serbian boycott of a Kosovo general election due in 10 days.
"The Bishop's decision ... runs counter to the overall goal to build a multi-ethnic Kosovo with full respect and security for all communities and religious sites," the U.N. said.
Thirty-four Orthodox churches and monasteries, some dating back to the 14th century, were damaged or destroyed during two days of violence in March in which ethnic Albanians, who demand independence from Serbia, attacked minority Serb enclaves.
Nineteen people died and up to 800 homes were set ablaze in the violence, the worst since the United Nations took control of Kosovo in 1999 after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign to halt Serb repression of majority Albanians.
Kosovo, while governed by the United Nations, remains formally part of Serbia and Montenegro, a fact bitterly resented by the 90-percent Albanian majority. The West has signalled it will consider the province's "final status" in mid-2005.
The Serbian government and church have urged Serbs not to vote on Oct. 23, saying the U.N. mission has failed to guarantee security or basic human rights. But Serbian President Boris Tadic has called on them to take part, and Kosovo Serbs themselves are split on the issue.
A total of 4.2 million euros ($5.17 million) had been allocated from the Kosovo budget to rebuild the religious sites, on top of 11 million to rebuild homes, many of which have been completed in time for the harsh Balkan winter.