Russia says can't accept all options in Kosovo

Rome, June 20 (Reuters) Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said today that a diplomatic deal on the future of Kosovo must take into account all parties while his country ''cannot accept every option''.

Russia opposes Kosovo independence on behalf of its ally Serbia, but the UN envoy there sees the province getting independence this year even if Russia vetoes his plan.

The United States and Europe are currently trying to secure Russian approval with a UN Security Council resolution for a four-month delay on an independence plan. This would give Kosovars and Serbians more time to reach an agreement.

But if the talks fail UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari's plan for independence would go ahead -- a point Russia objects to, saying this puts no pressure on Kosovars to accept Serbian proposals.

''My personal opinion is that Europe is too small for political experiments,'' Medvedev said in Rome.

''Every agreement on a statute of a European state has to take the interests of all the parties into account,'' he told reporters at an energy conference, adding that history shows that not doing so ''does not give good results''.

''For these negotiations Russia cannot but be interested, but cannot accept every option,'' said the Russian official.

Diplomats say a deal on Kosovo probably depends on talks between US President George W Bush and Russia's Vladimir Putin in Kennebunkport, Maine, on July 2.

Ahtisaari told Finnish television on Monday Russia might veto his plan but Kosovo would still get independence this year.

This could mean a solution outside the United Nations with the support of the United States and the European Union, he said.

Kosovo, seen by Serbia as a cradle of its culture, passed out of Belgrade's control in 1999 when NATO bombing drove out Serb forces who had killed 10,000 ethnic Albanian civilians in a two-year war with guerrillas.

Under Ahtisaari's plan, a European envoy would replace the UN mission and the EU would deploy a police mission alongside the current 16,500-strong NATO peace force.

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