Kosovo Albanian delegation arrives in Austria

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-26-2007 13:22

Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu, center, attends a meeting between Serbian and Kosovar leaders at the EU Council building in Brussels, Tuesday Nov. 20, 2007. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

The Kosovo Albanian delegation has arrived in Austria for a final round of talks on the future status of the disputed province.

Serbia and the Albanian delegations are scheduled to meet on Monday for three-days of talks aimed at narrowing differences.

The Kosovo Albanian delegation, led by ethnic Albanian President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Agim Ceku, arrived in Austria on Sunday night.

Ahead of the meeting, Sejdiu stressed that they came for independence.

Fatmir Sejdiu, Ethnic Albanian President, said, "Our main goal is independence of Kosovo and for that we are prepared to have one modern and sovereign country for all citizens of Kosovo and good protection of the minorities of Kosovo. It's been our wish through our work all the time and it is our guaranty."

However, Serbia has said that the country would never recognize an "illegal and rogue" independent Kosovo.

But the ethnic Albanian Prime Minister has expressed his hard-line stance on the issue.

Kosovo's Hashim Thaci, left, stands with Kosovo's Prime Minister Agim Ceku prior to a meeting at the EU Council building in Brussels, Tuesday Nov. 20, 2007.  (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Agim Ceku, Ethnic Albanian Prime Minister, said, "We are there, we are in Kosovo, and we have nowhere to go and we are ready to face all the challenges."

The three days of meetings will mark the climax of four months of mediation by U.S., Russian and European Union envoys.

International mediators are scheduled to report to the United Nations by December 10th regarding the process.

Analysts say the meeting will likely to be the last chance for a negotiated deal on the fate of Kosovo. That's because the Kosovo Albanians are threatening to declare independence after the international mediators report back to the UN.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei