Cyprus announced on Monday that it will not participate in a European Union police mission to Kosovo, but allowed the other 26 EU members to do so by resorting to "constructive abstention."

The Cypriot government is opposed to Kosovo's independence bid, fearing such a development would further encourage the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north.

The other 26 member states approved in Brussels a plan to send some 1,800 policing force to Kosovo, which is expected to declare independence in March.

Cyprus quoted article 23 of the Treaty of Lisbon to support its abstention, which allows an EU member state to declare "constructive abstention" from an EU decision.

Cyprus is not bound by this EU decision, reported the semi- official Cyprus News Agency, adding the main reason is that there was no decision or invitation by the UN Security Council for a mission to Kosovo.

Nicosia also maintains that the EU police force would not be used as a vehicle for the recognition of Kosovo. The EU's decision left the issue of recognition of Kosovo to the discretion of each member state.