BRUSSELS (AP)--Serbia opposes the North Atlantic Treaty Organization plan to train Kosovo's security forces because Belgrade doesn't recognize the new state, Serbian army commander Lt. Gen. Zdravko Ponos said Wednesday. 

But the pro-Western general also said despite disagreements over Kosovo with most NATO nations, Serbia would continue cooperating closely with the alliance in reforming its own armed forces. 

NATO has gone out of its way to keep the peace in Kosovo with its 16,000-strong, alliance-led force known as KFOR. It has been operating since 1999, when the forces of former strongman Slobodan Milosevic were kicked out of Kosovo following a 78-day bombing campaign aimed at ending their crackdown on the ethnic Albanian majority in the province. 

"We insist that KFOR remain within its current mandate and that it not provide any assistance in building up the institutions of the self-proclaimed state of Kosovo," Ponos said. 

Kosovo remained under U.N. rule until February, when its leaders proclaimed independence, despite fierce opposition from Belgrade which views the province as Serbia's medieval heartland. Most Western nations have now recognized the new state. 

Kosovo's government now wants the U.N. to transfer part of its administrative duties to the state's elected officials by the middle of June. It also wants KFOR to assist the 2,500-member Kosovo force set up to provide security for the nation of 2 million people. NATO leaders already have pledged to assist the nascent force. 

Ponos has been sharply criticized by hardline nationalists in Serbia who want its military to adopt a more threatening stance toward Kosovo. 

But in an interview with The Associated Press Wednesday, the general said Serbia needs Western help to reorganize its own 38,000-strong armed forces. 

He said during his meeting earlier Wednesday with Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, he asked for expanded cooperation with the U.S. in terms of personnel exchanges and military sales. 

The Serbian army is seeking greater involvement in the Pentagon's International Military Education and Training program, which is designed to foster professional links between the two militaries. Ponos said 30 Serb officers already were attending U.S. military schools and 13 others were scheduled to join them this year. 

Serbia also wants to have access to U.S. financing of foreign military sales in order to acquire the latest battlefield simulation equipment for training purposes, Ponos said. 

He was speaking on the sidelines of a regular meeting of chiefs of defense staff from the 26 NATO allies. Also attending were members of the Partnership for Peace program, which serves as a stepping stone for countries seeking full alliance membership. It gives members the option of signing an agreement allowing them access to confidential NATO information. 

Although Serbia is a member of the partnership, Ponos denounced the former nationalist-dominated government of outgoing Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica for refusing to sign the agreement for the exchange of confidential NATO information. 

"This has caused huge damage to us," Ponos said. "We hope that the new government will overturn that." 

A reformist bloc headed by President Boris Tadic won the most votes in Sunday's general elections, but did not garner an outright majority needed to form a new government.