New Kosovar Premier Asks Albania For Help With Status

1 April 2005 -- New Kosovar Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi visited neighboring Albania and asked for help in deciding the province's future status.
Kosumi replaced Ramush Haradinaj last month after the former prime minister resigned to defend himself against war crimes charges brought by the UN tribunal in The Hague.

The new government is expected to lead the disputed UN-run province into talks on its final status later this year. Kosumi met today with Albanian counterpart Fatos Nano and is scheduled to meet other senior Albanian officials tomorrow. Nano expressed his government's "real support to Kosumi."

Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority wants independence, while the Serb minority insists it remain part of Serbia.

(AP)