The press in Belgrade has published President Slobodan Milosevic's new year message, in which he said he expected 1999 to bring a political solution for Kosovo.

Mr Milosevic said the Yugoslav government was committed to creating a multi-ethnic Kosovo, which favoured neither ethnic Serbs nor ethnic Albanians.

The ethnic Albanian majority -- over ninety percent of the population--wants independence from Yugoslav rule.

This is opposed by Belgrade, whose security forces have been fighting ethnic Albanian separatists.

The main Kosovo Albanian negotiator, Fehmi Agani, warned of more fighting, unless a political solution was found.

He said talks would start soon, but there should be no illusions about the outcome.