Serbian, ethnic Albanian officials meet in Austria over Serb minority self-rule in Kosovo

Associated Press, Wednesday, July 19, 2006 6:04 AM

VIENNA, Austria-Serbian and ethnic Albanian officials were meeting in the Austrian capital Wednesday to negotiate the number of new Serb municipalities in Kosovo to give the province's minority more rights in running their affairs.

The Serbian delegation has suggested as many as 13 new municipalities, a proposal based on the ethnic composition of Kosovo before the 1998-99 bloody conflict in the province. Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Lutfi Haziri told reporters Wednesday morning his delegation will offer the creation of five Serb-run municipalities.

Ethnic Albanians make up about 90 percent of Kosovo's population of 2 million, but some 200,000 Serbs fled the province after Serb troops were driven out by the 78-day NATO bombardment in 1999.

Serbian officials are also expected to suggest that Kosovo Serbs and non-Albanians should be allowed to run their own communities, maintain special ties to Belgrade, control their own local police and receive guarantees for the security, freedom of movement and right of return of Serb refugees.

Wednesday's talks will be the eighth time that both sides have met to discuss the province's status. In the past, negotiators have tried to resolve the number of municipalities. Negotiations in May failed to produce an agreement.

Haziri said that his delegation will now a present a plan on the decentralization of the province that will "try to accommodate" the minorities.

"We want to give as much as we can ... we want happy communities," Haziri said before the talks.

Ethnic Albanians want full independence for the province, but Serbia insists Belgrade must retain some control over the province.

A key stumbling point in the talks is the fate of Kosovska Mitrovica, an ethnically divided city where there have been clashes between ethnic Albanians and Serbs.

Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu has rejected any division of Kosovska Mitrovica.

On Tuesday, both delegations failed to finalize an agreement on the protection of Serbian Orthodox religious sites in Kosovo.

The first top-level direct talks to address the province's status, independence or some Serb control, are scheduled for July 24.

The Kosovo Albanian delegation has confirmed that it would participate in the talks. Serbian negotiator Leon Kojen said, however, that top Serbian officials in Belgrade were still awaiting a "proper invitation."

Unlike previous meetings, talks on Wednesday are not face-to-face, but U.N. mediators will shuttle between both delegations in separate rooms.