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.