Russia, US spar on Kosovo, missile shield

POTSDAM, Germany, May 31 (Reuters) Russia and the United States sparred over Kosovo and US missile shield plans souring a meeting aimed at preparing the ground for next week's Group of Eight summit on the Baltic coast.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday spoke bluntly on disagreements over Kosovo, a major irritant in Russia's relations with the European Union and the United States. He also traded barbs on Lebanon and the missile shield.

''Our positions are diametrically opposed and I don't see any chances of the positions moving any closer together,'' he told a news conference on Kosovo after the meeting of G8 foreign ministers south of Berlin.

Serbia, backed by Russia, opposes a plan proposed by UN mediator Martti Ahtisaari offering the Albanian majority province independence under international supervision.

Western powers have backed a UN resolution that would grant Kosovo effective independence. Lavrov, however, said other world powers should let Serbs and Kosovo Albanians sort out the question of the future status of the province themselves.

Rice emphasised Kosovo was an issue of international concern and she wanted agreement as soon as possible.

''We and several of my European colleagues here believe that the Ahtisaari report provides the right basis for resolving the issue,'' Rice told the news conference.

G8 president Germany hopes to avoid a showdown between the United States and Russia at the Heiligendamm leaders' summit which will focus on climate change and aid to Africa.

But US officials travelling with Rice said the Russians had sought conflict at every turn. ''It's hard to know exactly what is eating (at) the Russians,'' said a senior US State Department official.

Rice and Lavrov were publicly courteous to each other, mentioning that US President George W Bush had invited Russia's Vladimir Putin to his family's home in Maine in July.

But differences over Kosovo and US plans to install a missile shield in central Europe were difficult to hide.

MISSILE SHIELD Lavrov dismissed Rice's comments that Russian opposition to the US's planned shield was ''ludicrous'' and said Moscow was still waiting for answers about the system.

''At the moment all they are saying is 'don't worry it is not aimed at you','' he added.

The United States wants to deploy a radar system in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland by 2011-12. It says the system would counter threats from so-called ''rogue states'' like Iran and North Korea, but Moscow sees it as an encroachment on its former sphere of influence.

Lavrov also sniped at US military shipments last week to Lebanon's government and cautioned against such aid further destabilizing the region.

''(The United States) is not interfering in Lebanese affairs,'' said Rice pointedly.

However, the ministers appeared more united on other issues, including the nuclear standoff with Iran.

In a joint statement, the G8 ministers said they regretted that Iran, who western nations suspect wants to build a nuclear bomb, was expanding its uranium enrichment activities.

''If Iran continues to ignore demands of the Security Council we will support further appropriate measures as agreed in Resolution 1747,'' they said.

Afghanistan and Pakistan, invited by Germany to the meeting, vowed to deepen cooperation between their governments ''at all levels,'' particularly in the fight against terrorism and repatriating Afghan refugees.

The two, who accuse each other of failing to stop a Taliban insurgency, are seeking ways to seal their long, porous border.

REUTERS ABM PM0955