“The two countries have a crucial influence in the process to determine the Serbian province's future status,” Đurić said, adding that the visit came as part of stepped up diplomatic activity in connection with Kosovo's future.

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangu is to arrive in Serbia on April 17, and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit April 18-19, the report said.

There was no immediate confirmation of the visits by China and Russia, the AP added.

“Turning back on Serbs-betrayal”

“For Russia, to refuse supporting Serbia’s integrity would mean to betray an Orthodox sister nation,” Interfax quoted Russian State Duma international affairs committee chairman Konstantin Kosachyov.

According to Kosachyov, one reason why Russia was opposed to Kosovo’s independence was that the province had a special significance for the Orthodox Serbs.

“For Serbia, Kosovo is a sacred land. No matter how many Serbs there lives, they must not be rid of their lawful right to remain there and have their religious and cultural values protected,” Kosachyov told the Argumenty i Fakty weekly.

According to the MP, “we cannot turn our back upon the Serbs in this situation since it would be a betrayal.”

“If we sacrifice the international law to please the current political situation, it will make territorial ‘fallout’ unpredictable,” he added.

“Today there are almost 200 territories worldwide aiming at independence, and in about fifty of them there is the possibility that violence could break up,” Interfax reported Kosachyov as saying.