Kosovo self-rule plan ‘if talks fail’

THE United States and European nations yesterday circulated a draft UN security council resolution that would pave the way for independence in Kosovo if further negotiations fail in four months’ time.

The text asks UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, to convene negotiations over a 120-day period between Serbian and Kosovo leaders, and demands that “the parties refrain from making any unilateral declarations regarding final status during that period”.

After that period, the resolution would automatically put into effect a plan by UN envoy, Martti Ahtisaari, that paves the way towards independence for the Serbian province, which is admin-istered by the UN.

But Russia, which has veto power on the 15-nation security council, will not agree to the plan unless Belgrade consents.

“It is unacceptable,” Moscow’s UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said of the resolution.

He told reporters that sponsors of the draft agreed with Russia that more negotiations were necessary.

If Russia refuses to agree to the plan, the West will have to decide whether to go ahead with it anyway.