New UN resolution sidesteps Kosovo independence

UNITED NATIONS, July 11 (Reuters) A new European-US draft resolution sidesteps Kosovo's independence from Serbia and calls for four months of resumed negotiations in an effort to get Russian support, according to a text obtained by Reuters today.

But the document, not yet distributed to the full Security Council, ends the UN mission in Kosovo and puts into place European supervision as called for under a virtual independence plan from UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari.

However, it excludes putting into effect the entire Ahtisaari program for the Serbian province.

European envoys believe these new institutions point the way toward independence for Kosovo, which would happen by default, even without being specified in the resolution.

But other diplomats believe there will have to be another resolution approving other sections of Ahtisaari's plan, such as Kosovo's right to join international bodies.

Kosovo, where 90 per cent of the 2 million people are ethnic Albanians, has been run by the United Nations since 1999, when NATO bombs forced out Serb troops that were killing and expelling Albanians in a two-year war with guerrillas.

Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku said Russia had blocked the UN route, and new talks would change nothing. ''Every delay is an empty concession to Moscow,'' Ceku told reporters. ''We need clarity, and fast.'' The draft would be the third attempt to get agreement from Russia, which has veto power in the 15-nation council. Moscow has said that Kosovo cannot be severed from Serbia without Belgrade's consent.

Council members China, Indonesia and South Africa more or less agree with Russia, diplomats said.

The latest version of the resolution, like the previous one, calls for 120 more days of talks between Serbia and Kosovo.

Ahtisaari, who drew up a plan that would lead to independence, has said an agreed solution is impossible. A previous draft resolution would have automatically triggered implementation of the Ahtisaari plan if the Belgrade-Pristina talks failed.

Specifically, the draft resolution would decide that European Union representatives would take over from the United Nations ''at the end of a 120-day transition period following adoption of this resolution.'' The council also ''affirms its readiness to review the situation further'' in light of new talks between the Kosovars and the Serbs.

REUTERS SBC RK2302+