US envoy to mediate in Kosovo

The American envoy to the Balkans, Robert Gelbard, is to go to the Serbian province of Kosovo next week to press for a dialogue on ending years of political unrest.

The US State Department said Mr Gelbard would press for immediate talks between the Belgrade government and local Albanian nationalists demanding independence for Kosovo.

Mr Gelbard is also due to go to Montenegro during his three-country Balkan tour, where his visit will coincide with the inauguration of Milo Djukanovic as President.

Mr Djukanovic's win in last October's election has not been recognized by the governing Serbian Socialist Party in Yugoslavia.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service