Serbia's deputy Prime Minister is visiting northern Kosovo this week to meet with local ethnic Serbs and their leaders.
His visit comes after the signing of an agreement aimed at normalising ties between Serbia and its former province.
The agreement has triggered protests by thousands of Serbs in northern Kosovo, who say it doesn't give them enough rights.
Michael Kenny reports.
The deal between Serbia and Kosovo was brokered by the European Union, and reached last month in Brussels.
It gives some autonomy to the 40-thousand ethnic Serbs who make up a majority of residents in northern Kosovo.
But many of the Serbs refuse to recognise the authority of the Kosovo government based in Pristina, and are angry over the agreement.
Serbia's deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic says he will be using his visit to try and shift public attitudes on the issue.
(Through translation) "We want to speak to the people here in north Kosovo. We want to explain the situation to the people. We want the people to hear our thoughts and we want to hear what the people think and feel."
Serbia lost control over Kosovo in 1999 after a NATO bombing campaign.
The bombing halted Serbia's military crackdown against the pro-independence ethnic Albanian majority in the province.
Kosovo proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008.
That proclamation has been recognised by many countries, but was never accepted by the government in Belgrade.
The EU brokered agreement has triggered discord among Kosovo's Serbs, with thousands protesting on the streets.
The Serbian Orthodox Church leader in Kosovo, Bishop Teodosije has called for harmony.
(Through translation) "People shouldn't feel disheartened. This agreement is not the end. If we are united, if we build unity, love and harmony in this region and show that we are Christ's people, then no-one can do anything to us."
The agreement on improving ties between Serbia and Kosovo is seen as a critical step along Serbia's pathway to EU membership.
The deal has been praised by the European Commission which has recommended the launch of formal negotiations on Serbia's EU bid.
But no date has been set yet for accession talks.
This local woman in northern Kosovo has told Al Jazeera, she hopes Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister can play a constructive role in resolving any differences over the EU deal.
(Through translation) "We have great confidence in him and we hope for better days. Of course that means that we remain in Serbia. We would want nothing else."
Kosavar-Australian academic Leandrit Mehmeti worked from 1999 to 2004 with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe mission in Kosovo.
Now based at the University of South Australia, he says the EU-brokered agreement has given Serbs in northern Kosovo considerable autonomy in areas like healthcare, education and policing.
"I think it has given a great deal of autonomy, although they may object on some specifics, especially on certain points like the appointment of regional police commanders. But even there, still the Kosovo authorities in Pristina- although they would appoint the commanders at the end of the day, they would still appoint someone who the Serbian community would suggest."
Mr Mehmeti believes the agreement has given Serbia a real boost towards EU membership.
And he says that promoting EU membership across all countries in the former Yugoslavia could help to promote long-term harmony in the region.
"I think it will have an impact not only in the day to day life of Serbians, but across the whole Balkans in general- it will have a big impact being a member of the European Union. My perspective on this is that if we don't want to see any conflicts in the Balkans, the European Union integration of the whole Balkans is the only formula."
