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Never at a loss for words, former prime minister Jean Chretien says that Canada is in a "delicate" spot over the decision whether to recognize Kosovo's declaration of independence.

"Canada has to be careful because people want to separate from Canada," Chretien told reporters from Ottawa's Rideau Hall on Friday.

He said because of Canada's Clarity Act, which sets rules for legal separation from the country, the government should be careful of setting a dangerous precedent by recognizing Kosovo's unilateral separation from Serbia.

The U.S., U.K., Germany and France are among more than a dozen nations that have recognized Kosovo's independence. Canada has not yet taken a position.

Chretien noted that both the U.K. and France have their own problems with segments of their populations wishing to separate. Scotland and Wales in the U.K. have long had separatist parties and France has had issues with its Mediterranean island of Corsica.

"But I'm not the one who decides for the government," Chretien said. "I'm not the Monday morning quarterback."

Chretien was made a companion of The Order of Canada Friday in Ottawa and spoke about Kosovo when prompted by reporters.

On Friday, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said it would be preferable that Canada join its European allies and recognize Kosovo.

A pair of former ambassadors agreed with Chretien that Canada should move cautiously.

James Bissett, Canada's former Ambassador to Yugoslavia, told Â鶹ӰÊÓnet's Mike Duffy Live Friday evening that he is concerned that Kosovo declared independence unilaterally and without a referendum.

Paul Heinbecker, a former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, noted, however, that the situation in Kosovo is very different from issues in Canada about Quebec.

"There has been -- between the Kosovars and the Serbs -- a lot of trouble," Heinbecker said.

"There was a war in 1999. NATO had to intervene to stop it. By the time NATO started, (the Serbs) had expelled nearly 500,000 people from their homes in Kosovo. In Canada, we haven't had a shot fired between the French and the English for about 200 years."

Many analysts have said Serbs engaged in ethnic cleansing and discrimination against minority populations in the former Yugoslavia. But Heinbecker pointed out that Canada is a strong state that has had many protections for minorities. He said Canada has historically welcomed full participation of Quebecers into the national life.

He added that Quebecers have held the Prime Minister's Office for significant periods, and they are at the top levels of the military, government, and other public offices.

The Serbian ambassador to Canada, Dusan Batakovic, told Â鶹ӰÊÓnet that he agreed with Chretien's comments, especially when the former Liberal prime minister said that it's hard to judge the escalating situation in Serbia without being there.

"Of course, Serbs remain defiant," Batakovic said of the recent outburst of violence in the capital of Belgrade. "(But) it's regrettable . . . an emotional outburst is obviously wrong."

Many Serbians see Kosovo as the ancient cradle of their state and religion.

Batakovic also expressed concern for the ethnic Serbians in Kosovo and added that Serbia would try to block any attempt by Kosovo to join the United Nations.

Kosovo is 90 per cent populated by ethnic Albanians. It has not been under Belgrade's control since 1999, when air strikes were launched by NATO to put an end to a Serbian crackdown on separatists.

Since then Kosovo has been governed by a United Nations mission.