A visiting scholar at the University of Iowa says he is holding out hope that unrest in Kosovo will subside. Nikola Bodiroga is a former employee of the Serbian government. He says Serb rioters opposing Kosovo’s declaration of independence don’t represent the majority.

"I’m very surprised and disappointed by reactions of people who are making riots on the streets of Belgrade and some other towns," he says. "…Those riots are not instrumented or organized by government, so I hope it will all settle down."

Bodiroga says no one expected Kosovo would declare its independence so soon following Serbian presidential elections held earlier this month. Bodiroga was a guest lecturer this week at the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council.