BELGRADE (AP)--The Russian foreign minister was arriving Sunday for a two-day visit to Serbia-Montenegro and Kosovo for talks on the future status of the ethnically divided province, the foreign ministry in Belgrade said.
During the visit, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov planned to meet top officials in Belgrade and Podgorica - the capitals of Serbia and Montenegro - as well as ethnic Albanian leaders in Pristina, Kosovo's provincial capital.
Kosovo is still formally part of the two-member union that succeeded Yugoslavia, but has been run by the United Nations and NATO since a 1999 Alliance bombing campaign halted ex-President Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists.
Belgrade has had no authority over Kosovo for more than six years, but wants to keep at least formal control over it as most Serbs consider Kosovo the cradle of their history and culture.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership has insisted on nothing less than full independence.
The U.N. Security Council has approved the start of talks later this month to determine the final status of the majority ethnic Albanian province.
Russia maintains a significant role both in the Security Council and in the so-called Kosovo Contact Group, a collection of U.S. and European diplomats advising on how to resolve Kosovo's status. The group is working in cooperation with former Finnish President Martii Attishari, to be the chief U.N. envoy overseeing the Kosovo status talks.
Belgrade, with historical Slavic ties to Russia, may look to Moscow for support in contending that an independent Kosovo would constitute unlawful secession.
Lavrov's official meetings in Belgrade are scheduled for Monday, when he will also address media together with Serbia-Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
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1 comment:
I can't wait to hear what Russia has to say.
Well I was unhappy with the article titles
'Serbian Orthodox Church warns of new Balkan tensions if Kosovo wins independence'
Well im warning that there is gonna be high tension all over Balkans if KOSOVA doesnt get independence by mid-2006
The entire region will fall into conflict. Do you really think there are still Serbs that die for 'kosovo' well very few There is 2million albanians wiling to give their lives for kosovo independence
People no other option and this Negotiation is going to SLOW
Serbia will delay it 1 5 10 20 years they dont care
Start of negotiation is start of a flame which is heating albanian blood. It will boil by the end of march if no progress is made
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