Foreign ministers of four major European powers and top EU officials were to meet Saturday to discuss the breakaway Serbian province of Kosovo, the day before crucial presidential elections in Serbia, according to AP. Serbia's staunch opposition to the plans of the province's ethnic Albanian majority to declare independence could benefit a nationalist candidate over the pro-Western incumbent, Boris Tadic. The foreign ministers of Germany, France, Britain and Italy _ part of the so called Contact Group that also includes the United States and Russia _ as well as the EU's foreign affairs chief, Javier Solana, and its expansion official, Olli Rehn, were to talk behind closed doors in Slovenia, which currently holds the 27-nation bloc's presidency. No statements are expected from the meeting, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. (1800 GMT). Slovenia _ which was once part of Yugoslavia together with Serbia _ has been trying to find a solution for the Kosovo dispute that would prevent possible new violence in the Balkans. The EU members have failed to agree on how to react if Kosovo declares independence, which could happen just after Serbia's election runoff on Feb. 3. But they have agreed to send a 1,800-strong force there _ triggering protests from Serbia. Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel is leading an effort for the EU to sign a pre-entry deal with Serbia _ as a potential «carrot» to Serbia and encouragement for its pro-Western forces. But some EU nations oppose the effort, saying Serbia should first arrest and extradite war crimes suspects. Slovenia also wants to rally all EU nations to eventually recognize Kosovo independence, which is also backed by Washington. Russia, however, supports Serbia's drive to keep at least formal authority over Kosovo. On Friday, President Vladimir Putin said Western governments' support for Kosovo independence would be «illegal and immoral.» There are fears that Kosovo could become a source of new tensions, if not violence, in the Balkans.
