U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is welcoming last week's deal increasing cooperation between Serbia and Kosovo.

The White House says Biden telephoned Kosovo's new president, Atifete Jahjaga, Wednesday to stress what it called the United States' “continuing, irreversible support for Kosovo's independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty as a multi-ethnic democracy.”

The vice president also encouraged Kosovo and Serbia to make further progress on issues that can bring practical benefits to citizens in both countries.

Last week's pact between Kosovo and Serbia lets Kosovars for the first time cross into Serbia with Kosovo identification papers. It also returns civil documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, to Kosovo from Serbian control.

This is the first agreement between Serbia and Kosovo since Kosovo declared independence three years ago.