Kosovo envoy to step down

PRISTINA, Serbia, June 12 (Reuters) The United Nations governor of Kosovo, Soren Jessen-Petersen, will quit the post at the end of this month before the crucial phase of talks with Serbia begin on Albanian demands for independence, sources in the province said today.

''Jessen-Petersen has informed the Kosovo President and parliamentary speaker that he is going to leave,'' an official Kosovo source told Reuters.

''Jesen-Petersen has decided to leave after the Security Council meeting because of family reasons,'' a United Nations source told Reuters. ''He attempted several times before to leave but now he's going to do it definitely,'' the source said. The Security Council meeting is on June 20 and the unofficial date for the Danish diplomat's departure is June 30.

REUTERS SHB RK1616