A new round of consultations about the future status of Kosovo will begin Thursday in Vienna in the hope of reuniting the parties at the negotiating table, according to dpa. Representatives of the Kosovo troika will attempt to determine positions regarding the future of the breakaway Serbian province in separate meetings with delegations from Serbia and Kosovo. The troika - consisting of the European Union, the United States and Russia will meet with a high-level delegation from Pristina, including President Fatmir Sejdiju and Prime Minister Agim Ceku. From Belgrade, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and Kosovo-minister Slobodan Samardzic are expected. Far-reaching decisions are not expected from the meeting. Belgrade rejects the concept presented in January by UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari. The former Finnish president envisaged an internationally monitored independence for the province. For Kosovo's ethnic Albanians Kosovo's status is not open for discussion, as they regard future independence as an established fact. The troika are trying to find a way out of the diplomatic conundrum caused by Russia's rejection of the Athisaari plan in the UN Security Council. On Wednesday evening the troika was scheduled to meet with political directors from the foreign ministries of the Balkans contact group - Russia, the United States, France, Britain, Germany and Italy. Troika representatives Wolfgang Ischinger (EU), Frank Wisner (US) and Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko plan to report on the outcome of the talks by December 10 to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Prime Minister Agim Ceku on Monday announced Kosovo's intention to declare independence shortly after December 10.
