Envoys meet Serb leaders to launch Kosovo talks

SERBIA:Envoys from the European Union, Russia and the United States met Serbia's president and prime minister yesterday to launch a final round of talks on the future of Kosovo, despite there being no sign of compromise from the region's leaders or Belgrade.

The negotiations are a last-ditch effort to peacefully resolve the status of the 90 per cent ethnic Albanian province, which is supported by Washington and major EU nations in its demand for independence from Serbia.

Belgrade utterly rejects independence but has offered broad autonomy to Kosovo, which Serbs see as their cultural and spiritual heartland; Russia backs Belgrade and has threatened to block any United Nations resolution that is not acceptable to Serbia.

Even the basic terms of the talks are disputed: Kosovo, Washington and Brussels want a 120-day deadline for talks, and to report to the UN on December 10th; Serbia and Russia reject a deadline and want direct talks between Serb and Kosovar leaders rather than the shuttle diplomacy between the two sides that is currently favoured by the US and EU.

Kosovo and its western allies are also committed to a plan drawn up by UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, which proposes most trappings of sovereignty for Kosovo under EU supervision; Serbia and Russia say the plan is redundant and should be abandoned.

"We have had a good first session here today. The 'troika' had its first business meeting. We had the opportunity to explain in detail the purpose, the scope and the mandate of our mission," said the EU's envoy Wolfgang Ischinger, a German diplomat.

Before flying to Belgrade, Mr Ischinger said the onus for new ideas was on the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo. "It is not our job as a troika to make new proposals. It is a fact that the Ahtisaari plan is on the table," he insisted.

"We will encourage both sides to tell us, if not in this way, how then do they intend to agree?"

The three envoys are expected to travel to Kosovo today, where the prime minister, Agim Ceku, has made clear that his people are running out of patience.

"We will tell the troika that this is the last delay for Kosovo's status and even this delay was unnecessary," Mr Ceku said.

"Right after these 120 days of talks the decision to recognise Kosovo's independence should be taken."