Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci began two days of talks with EU and NATO officials Wednesday about ethnic Albanians' plan to declare their southern Serb province independent _ a move he said will come «very soon.» «Kosovo is ready, united and very well-prepared» for independence, Thaci told AP Television News on arrival in Brussels. «We'll proclaim independence as soon as possible (in) close cooperation and coordination with our partners Washington and Brussels.» Thaci gave no date, but said Kosovars count on a «qualitative recognition» of their independence by both Washington and the 27-nation European Union. In Brussels, Thaci was to meet with EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Dutch diplomat Peter Feith who has been chosen to lead a proposed EU mission in Kosovo. Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leaders are expected to declare independence in February or March, the Associated Press reported.
