FRANCE:France said yesterday it did not expect to reach a deal with Russia at the UN over a draft resolution on Kosovo's future because Moscow was unwilling to back a western compromise text.
Europeans and the US introduced the draft at the UN Security Council on Tuesday but had not decided whether to call a vote because of Russia's objections.
Russia, which holds a veto in the council, has rejected any move that would lead to Kosovo's independence from its ally Serbia, and said the draft has "zero" chance of being adopted.
"I hope there will be a compromise with the Russians on the resolution . . . which has been written in New York. But I very much doubt it," French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner said after talks with his British counterpart David Miliband.
Kosovo, where 90 per cent of the two million people are ethnic Albanians, has been run by the UN since Nato intervened in 1999.
Under the draft resolution, the two sides would resume negotiations for 120 days, after which the UN would devolve administration of the province to the EU, thus reducing Russia's influence there. Nato troops would stay on.
Russia has said the watered-down text is still "permeated with the concept of the independence of Kosovo" and appears to pave the way for independence by the back door. It wants more negotiations until a solution is found.
Meanwhile, Mr Kouchner said the West had given enough ground. "Despite all the concessions that have been made . . . it seems that the Russians are not willing to sign it. Under these conditions there will be no agreement on a resolution and under these conditions there will, no doubt, be no resolution."
The US threatened on Friday to solve the Kosovo controversy outside of the Security Council if Russia did not go along with the current draft resolution.