Sarkozy proposes six-month break on Kosovo talks to G8

HEILIGENDAMM - French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed a six-month pause for reflection on the future status of Kosovo to the Group of Eight most industrialised countries at a summit here Thursday.
"My proposal is that Russian President Vladimir Putin first recognise that an independent Kosovo is an unavoidable prospect," Sarkozy told a news conference at the G8 summit here.
Then "after six months, either Belgrade and Pristina have found a better status, or the one proposed by (UN envoy Maarti) Ahtisaari apply," said the newly elected French president, making his G8 debut.
Ahtisaari's blueprint proposes giving Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority "internationally supervised independence" from Serbia.
It is backed by Kosovo Albanian leaders, the United States and the European Union, but adamantly opposed by Serbia and its ally Russia, which has threatened to block it before the UN Security Council.
"It would be a very difficult situation to propose a motion to the UN Security Council and at the same time be faced with a Russian veto," Sarkozy said, adding: "I think we need to avoid conflict straight away."

06/07/2007 18:29 GMT