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Progress in US-Russia talks

Russia's Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev is meeting US counterpart William Cohen for a second day in Helsinki to thrash out a solution to the issues of troop command and the use of Pristina Airport.

Mr Clinton said talks were focusing on two or three options that were acceptable to the US and its Nato partners.

"The atmosphere is pretty positive and hopeful," he said, adding that while the US wanted Russia's full involvement, K-For should retain a united command.

President Yeltsin has again insisted that Russia must be given its own zone of control in Kosovo, even though Nato says this will lead to partition.

Mr Sergeyev said earlier he hoped his negotiations with Mr Cohen and Finnish President, Martti Ahtisaari, would resolve the uncertainty.

The defence minister said: "We have come at the request of President Yeltsin to do everything, on the basis of the UN resolution, to resolve all litigious questions."

Later on Thursday US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, and her Russian counterpart, Igor Ivanov, will join the talks.

Russian reinforcements

As the talks began on Wednesday Russian convoy arrived in Pristina with fresh supplies of food and medical supplies for the Russian soldiers occupying the airport.

They took Nato by surprise by reaching Pristina first on Saturday, and have been refusing Nato access to the airport.

Russia has said it wants to put as many as 10,000 troops into Kosovo.

Diplomatic pressure

Mr Sergeyev said a successful outcome of the Helsinki talks would allow the US and Russian presidents to "focus attention on the strategic prospects of Russian-American relations" during their forthcoming meeting in Cologne.

Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin are due to meet on Saturday at the sidelines of a G-8 summit.

In Moscow, Russian officials hinted they might accept a compromise.

Vladimir Putin, secretary of the Security Council, said Russia wanted to cooperate with Nato troops while retaining a certain independence for its forces.

Russia will also press the US for access to Hungarian and Bulgarian air space to fly troop reinforcements into Kosovo.

Russia believes that only the US can persuade the two countries to open their air space to Russian military flights.

Relevant Stories

Russian troops get British escort (16 Jun 99 | UK)
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