European Union foreign ministers Monday named a senior Austrian diplomat as their special envoy for Kosovo, signalling the E.U.'s determination to play a key role in upcoming talks on the final status of the territory, Reuters reported. Stefan Lehne, currently advisor to E.U. foreign and security policy chief Javier Solana, will represent the bloc in the Kosovo talks, working hand in hand with former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, the special United Nations envoy to Kosovo. The announcement was made in Brussels after E.U. ministers held talks with Ahtisaari on his plans for Kosovo, Serbia's U.N. governed breakaway province with a majority Albanian population. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told reporters the E.U. was determined to give practical and political support to Ahtisaari. Peace and stability in the Balkans was crucial for the E.U., said Straw. Britain is current president of the 25-nation bloc. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan last week secured approval from the Security Council to commence talks on whether Kosovo should gain independence or remain a Serb province. --More 0003 Local Time 2103 GMT
