An upcoming UN Security Council resolution that paves the way for Kosovo to achieve independence from Serbia will include a Russian proposal aimed at helping the remaining Serb population in the province, a top U.S. diplomat said Wednesday, according to AP. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said the resolution had strong backing from the United States and a majority of the members of the Security Council. It would give Kosovo what amounts to limited, supervised independence, to be followed by formal recognition of its independence by other countries. «We think there is now majority support in the Security Council for that plan _ in fact, very strong o assure the majority population, the 95 percent of the population that are Kosovo Albanian, that we recognize that they have made the necessary reforms over the last eight years... that would merit them becoming an independent state with an independent government.» Burns said the Security Council lacked authority to declare Kosovo independent outright, but that the resolution would pave the way for other countries to recognize the Kosovo government one by one. The resolution would ask the EU to take over a lead role in civil administration and implementing reforms such as protection of minority rights while NATO provides border and internal security.
