A State Department spokesman said the Independence leader, Ibrahim Rugova, had voiced readiness to continue negotiations aimed at ending the violence.

He said Mrs Albright had stressed the importance of a dialogue on substantive issues.

Earlier, President Bill Clinton urged the Kosovo Albanians to continue their peace talks with Serbia.

During a meeting with Mr Rugova on Friday, Mr Clinton said America's current diplomatic efforts were the best way to stop the conflict in Kosovo from escalating.

Ongoing fighting

Renewed fighting could derail peace talks between the Serbian government and the ethnic Albanians

The Albanians say the security forces attacked several villages in the west of the province.

For its part, the Yugoslav army - which is trying to put down the Albanian separatist insurrection - said that three of its soldiers were killed in a mortar attack at a border post in the same region.

The most recent deaths are the culmination of a week of sporadic fighting in various parts of the province.