Germany's Merkel backs delay on Kosovo talks

MUNICH, Germany, Feb 10 (Reuters) German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed today a UN move to grant Serbia's request to delay final talks on the fate of breakaway Kosovo province.

The United Nations said yesterday it had agreed to a Serbian request to delay talks by a week to give Belgrade time to appoint delegates for consultations now due to start on February 21, and end by early March.

''Time-wasting does have an explosive force but I maintain for the Serbs it will be important whether this is a process in which they can retain their dignity,'' Merkel told a gathering of security and foreign policy officials in Munich.

''We feel that the process is difficult. Serbia and Kosovo need time to clarify their positions,'' she said, adding however that ''we can't put this off for ever and a day''.

Germany is one of the countries coordinating international policy on Kosovo, alongside the United States, Britain, Russia, France and Italy.

A plan unveiled last week by UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari offers Serbia's southern province, which has a 90-per cent Albanian majority, a path to independence under the supervision of the European Union, a move Serbia rejects.

Yesterday's announcement marked the second delay in the process in three months as the West advances carefully to avoid radicalising Serbia.

Albanians are impatient for the UN Security Council to endorse the plan, but Serbian President Boris Tadic had asked for time to allow formation of a new parliament following a January.

21 election. Lawmakers would then mandate new negotiators.

Reuters AB RN1555