Russia's Lavrov says Balkan tensions rising, EU must help de-escalate

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Tensions are sharply rising in the Balkans and the European Union must help de-escalate the situation there, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday. Lavrov also told a news conference that ethnic Albanian forces should not be present in Serbian-populated areas in the north of Kosovo. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Andrew Osborn; Writing by Alexander Winning and Katya Golubkova; Editing by Christian Lowe)