Ceku says declaration of independence possible

Ceku says declaration of independence possible

"I'm not threatening the U.N. Security Council," Kosovo's ethnic Albanian Prime Minister Agim Ceku told a news conference. "We see this as a possibility.

"How we declare independence will not be a rash decision, but one taken in accordance with our friends and strategic partners," Ceku said.

Kosovo's leaders also asked representatives of major powers due to meet in Vienna on Friday to say whether or not they will delay a decision they promised before the end of this year.

Diplomats say Kosovo might have to declare independence if, as rumored, a proposal by U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari stops short of recommending direct U.N. recognition. They say Ahtisaari is considering setting Kosovo on a path to statehood, but leaving recognition up to individual countries in deference to opposition from U.N. veto holder Russia.

Some European officials are worried this could split the European Union, which is due to take over stewardship of Kosovo from the United Nations next year. Reflecting the nervousness, the European Commission on Wednesday called for a "politically and legally clear" settlement.

The six-member Contact Group guiding Balkan diplomacy, the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Russia, meets Ahtisaari on Friday.

Delay

The Kosovo Albanians called on the Contact Group to state clearly whether or not a decision on independence would be delayed into 2007 because of Serbian elections.

"We expect the Contact Group to clarify its position on the dates and the status decision," Skender Hyseni, the spokesman for the Kosovo Albanian negotiating team, told Reuters.

With Serbia on the brink of calling a parliamentary election, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has indicated that Ahtisaari could be asked to delay his proposal to avoid it becoming a campaign issue likely to benefit ultranationalists.

Serb reports suggest an election date could be known before the Contact Group meeting.

Diplomats say some form of independence is likely, but that Russia is opposed to direct U.N. recognition.

Serbia warned last week that any country that chose to recognize an independent Kosovo would see its relations with Serbia suffer.