UN draft endorses deadline

The draft “welcomes and endorses the decisions of the Foreign Ministers” of the six Contact Group nations meeting Friday in London, and summarises the main points.

It notes that the Contact Group Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United States “set out a framework and timetable for a process of negotiations between the parties … aimed at reaching a political settlement.”

The text also expresses “deep concern” at the escalating violence in Kosovo and urges the parties to respect their obligations under UN resolutions calling for a cease-fire in the troubled Serbianprovince. However, diplomats warned that the text could be amended during negotiations later in the day.

The Contact Group Foreign Ministers’ meeting set a February 6 deadline for Belgrade and separatist Albanians in the war-torn province to start peace talks near Paris. The group also imposed a deadline of a maximum of 21 days for Belgrade and ethnic Albanian leaders to reach a peace settlement.