Athens Urges Compromise Over Kosovo

Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis with Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu on September 14 (epa) September 14, 2006 -- Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis today urged Serbs and ethnic Albanians to compromise in ongoing talks about the final status of Kosovo.

Bakoyannis said after talks with Serbian President Boris Tadic that Greece is in favor "of a multicultural Kosovo."


Deep divisions are apparent between the Kosovo Albanian and Serbian delegations at UN-mediated talks on the status of Kosovo, which has been under UN administration sine 1999 when an international coalition intervened to halt fighting in the Serbian province.


The UN administrator of Kosovo on September 13 urged Serbs and ethnic Albanians to determine the territory's future by the end of the year, the deadline for the talks.


Joachim Ruecker told the UN Security Council that delays in the negotiations will only worsen tensions between the two sides and slow down the economy's recovery.


(AP)