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Crucial talks on Kosovo's future No breakthrough on Kosovo status
(about 19 hours later)
The leaders of Serbia and its breakaway province of Kosovo are preparing to hold their first face-to-face talks at the United Nations in New York. The leaders of Serbia and its breakaway Kosovo province have failed to make any major progress at their first direct talks on the territory's future status.
Foreign ministers of the six major powers involved in negotiating the ongoing dispute between the two sides have urged them to seek common ground. Serbia said it had offered Kosovo broad autonomy at the talks in New York, but the province's ethnic Albanians had demanded full independence.
Serbia has rejected a UN plan to grant Kosovo supervised independence. Foreign mediators said talks would now continue on 14 October in Brussels, and expressed optimism about the outcome.
But Serbian PM Vojislav Kostunica said he was disappointed by the stalemate.
The government in Belgrade is rejecting a UN plan to grant the territory supervised independence.
The UN has administered Kosovo since a Nato bombing campaign forced out Serbian troops in 1999.The UN has administered Kosovo since a Nato bombing campaign forced out Serbian troops in 1999.
Ahead of Friday's historic talks, Serbian President Boris Tadic warned the UN General Assembly in New York of unforeseeable consequences if Kosovo declared independence unilaterally. 'Good sign'
'Unacceptable' Kosovo leader Fatmir Sejdiu told reporters after the talks that he had proposed "a treaty of friendship between our two countries as two sovereign and independent nations".
The other [side] is encouraged by some countries, mostly the United States, not to negotiate feeling quite secure because it can be granted its independence Vojislav Kostunica, Serbian PM
But he said the Serbian leaders "held steadfast to their position and the views that they had presented several times already".
For his part, Serbian President Boris Tadic said Belgrade was offering Kosovo "sustainable and substantial autonomy".
"We are providing the best possible conditions for the national Albanian ethnic group of Kosovo. We hope that we are going to achieve a compromise solution," he said.
A joint declaration issued after the meeting said that "the parties reiterated their commitment to engage seriously in these talks".
EU mediator Wolfgang Ischinger told reporters that both sides had hinted that "they wish this process to continue... This is a good sign".
But Mr Kostunica said he was "a bit disappointed" by the outcome "because this is the second round of talks that has happened in two years".
"I'm afraid the other [side] is encouraged by some countries, mostly the United States, not to negotiate feeling quite secure because it can be granted its independence," he added.
December deadline
Ahead of Friday's historic talks, Mr Tadic warned the UN General Assembly of unforeseeable consequences if Kosovo declared independence unilaterally.
He clearly reaffirmed his country's position that an independent Kosovo would be unacceptable.He clearly reaffirmed his country's position that an independent Kosovo would be unacceptable.
And he warned that if there was a one-sided recognition of that independence, it would set a precedent, with separatist movements everywhere seizing on it.And he warned that if there was a one-sided recognition of that independence, it would set a precedent, with separatist movements everywhere seizing on it.
After a meeting of the so-called Contact Group - made up of the US, Britain, Russia, France, Germany and Italy - UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband urged Belgrade and Pristina to show a "constructive spirit". Ahead of the talks the so-called Contact Group - made up of the US, Britain, Russia, France, Germany and Italy - urged Belgrade and Pristina to seek common ground.
Kosovo's quest for independence has the backing of the US and most of the EU, although countries like Spain fear the impact it would have on separatists like Spain's Basque movement.Kosovo's quest for independence has the backing of the US and most of the EU, although countries like Spain fear the impact it would have on separatists like Spain's Basque movement.
Serbia's ally at the UN Security Council, Russia, also opposes independence for the province.Serbia's ally at the UN Security Council, Russia, also opposes independence for the province.
The Serbs say they plan to propose a comprehensive blueprint for autonomy and hinted they might give up control over Kosovo's borders.
But Kosovo has made clear it will accept nothing short of independence under UN supervision at the end of the negotiating process on 10 December.But Kosovo has made clear it will accept nothing short of independence under UN supervision at the end of the negotiating process on 10 December.
With both sides sticking to their positions, it is unlikely the negotiations in New York will lead to any breakthrough at this stage.