Rift Widens Among Nations Over Kosovo

Martti Ahtisaari, former Finnish President who led months of negotiations between Serbian leaders and representatives from Kosovo's ethnic Albanian arrives at Vienna's Hofburg palace, Friday, Jan. 26, 2007. Ahtisaari will brief the United States, Russia and key European allies Friday on his proposal for the future of Serbia's independence-minded province of Kosovo. (AP Photo) (Str - AP)

VIENNA, Austria -- Russia is pressing for more time to examine a U.N. proposal for the future of Kosovo, Western and Russian officials said Friday, underscoring a widening rift between Moscow _ a key ally of Serbia _ and the United States and its European allies.

"Russia wants a longer period" to consider the plan, which U.N. special envoy Martti Ahtisaari presented in Vienna to diplomats from the so-called Contact Group _ U.S., Russia, Britain, France, Germany and Italy _ a Western official told The Associated Press.

Other members of the Contact Group insisted that "we've got to set a time limit" on the roadmap for the independence-minded province, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss details of the proposal and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Russia is a traditional ally of Serbia, which considers Kosovo the heart of its ancient homeland and insists that it remain part of Serbian territory. Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority has been pushing for outright independence.

The U.N. Security Council will have the final say on Ahtisaari's plan, which the former Finnish president will formally present to both sides on Feb. 2.

Moscow's apparent misgivings _ and its veto power at the U.N. _ have raised the possibility of a diplomatic showdown with the United States, which backs the province's drive for statehood.

The other members of the Contact Group "agreed that the plan should go to the parties" without delay, the Western official said. But a Russian diplomat told the AP that the Kremlin "would prefer to wait" at least until Serbia, which held parliamentary elections earlier this month, forms a new government.

"We would not favor hasty moves," the Russian official said. The Russian official also was not permitted to discuss the proposal publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ahtisaari's deputy, Albert Rohan, called Friday's meeting "very good and positive," but declined to provide details. The diplomats planned to take the document to their capitals for further review, spokesman Remi Dourlot said.

In Pristina, Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku reacted with impatience to the Russian request, insisting: "There are no more reasons to delay the status process."

Ceku said he realized the proposal "may contain elements that are not that favorable _ not all will be what we want."

"But it will be an acceptable package, we believe, for the people of Kosovo," he said. "I am confident that Kosovo will be independent and that when Ahtisaari goes to the Security Council he will propose independence for Kosovo."