Gov. Tim Pawlenty traveled secretly to Kosovo this weekend to meet with the more than 400 Minnesota National Guard troops stationed there.

While political tensions remain real in Kosovo, which in February declared its independence from Serbia, Minnesota's Guard members are doing an important job helping keep the peace, he said.

"The Minnesota National Guard is one of the highest performing Guards in the country," Pawlenty said during a conference call Saturday. "We're here to let them know Minnesotans are thinking of them."

The Minnesota troops stationed in Kosovo are from the 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry, headquartered in Mankato. Deployed in October, they're part of the U.N. international peacekeeping force in the country.

Pawlenty, who also visited Kosovo in 2004, said "anecdotal evidence" shows slow but steady improvement in the lives of the people -- although there's still a long way to go. Unemployment, for example, has fallen from 80 to 60 percent, he said. And there is more commercial activity.

While underlying tensions between Albanians and Serbs appear to be in check, they still percolate below the surface, he said.

The governor made a whirlwind tour of the country over the weekend, visiting the Minnesota unit's base at Camp Bondsteel, in the town of Vitina, which the troops are responsible for patrolling, and several small towns. The day's activities ended with a dinner with the troops at Camp Bondsteel followed by a town meeting with soldiers. Pawlenty said he relies on such meetings to learn what's on their minds.

Troops wanted to know whether new laws could be passed to help their spouses deal with hardships at home, he said. They also wanted to know about calculations for disability insurance, college tuition reimbursement and fees, and how Guard equipment will be replaced in Kosovo and at home.

Pawlenty said he would research the questions and possibly propose new rules or legislation to address them.

Although there is speculation that Pawlenty is working to boost his vice presidential credentials, the governor said the sole purpose of the trip was to touch base with the troops and let them know Minnesotans were thinking of them.

Since becoming governor, Pawlenty has made a point of visiting Guard troops overseas, starting with a venture to Bosnia in 2003. In March 2007, Pawlenty conducted a similar trip to visit troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The governor predicted the National Guard troops would remain in Kosovo for several years, and European Union troops would eventually take on their role.

As for the future, May 11 will be an important date to watch, said Lt. Col. Michael Funk, of Olivia, the battalion's commander. That's when the Serbian Parliament holds elections.

"If the elections go with the hardliners, there could be considerable tension in the future," Funk said.

For security reasons, Pawlenty said he couldn't reveal when he will return to Minnesota. He simply said, he'd be back "very shortly."

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