A senior United Nations peacekeeping official has urged Kosovo and Serbia to demonstrate their commitment to a peaceful resolution in their latest dispute over the control of two border crossings.

Edmond Mulet, the U.N. assistant secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, said the U.N. Security Council has the opportunity to send “a clear message” that Pristina and Belgrade need “to take responsibility” for preventing the recurrence of violence in northern Kosovo on Friday and in the future

Mulet briefed the U.N. Security Council Thursday about the growing tensions in northern Kosovo.

Kosovo has announced plans to send its customs officials and security forces Friday to take over two troublesome border crossings with Serbia. The crossings have been under NATO control since violence between ethnic Serbs and Albanians erupted there in July, leaving one person dead.

Mulet said the U.N. mission in Kosovo has “proactively approached all sides” to facilitate communication and discourage the use of violence to both Belgrade and Pristina, as well as the northern Kosovo Serb leaders.

Serbia and Russia had requested the U.N. Security Council meeting to help prevent Kosovo's ethnic Albanian authorities from using force in northern Kosovo, which is populated by ethnic Serbs who reject the government in Pristina.

In Belgrade, Serbian President Boris Tadic urged the international community to prevent any attempt at resolving the Kosovo issue without dialogue and compromise. He said unilateral moves in Kosovo are dangerous for the whole world.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and many countries including the United States have recognized the move. But Serbia claims the move is illegal and has the support of Russia, a permanent U.N. Security Council member with veto power. Since then, northern Kosovo has been plagued by ethnic conflict between the region's majority Serbs and ethnic Albanians who are the majority in the rest of Kosovo.

Serbian customs officials have barred goods that contain attributes of Kosovo's statehood, such as Pristina's own stamps. In response, Kosovo has barred Serbian imports and attempted to take over the two important border crossings to enforce the ban.