Current discussions in Washington DC in the 'Final Status' talks for Kosovo, indicate both ethnic Serbians and ethnic Albanians will have to compromise their claims over the future of Kosovo.

Veteran California Democrat in the US Congress, Tom Lantos, has decided not to try to push through a resolution backing independence for Kosovo.  A spokeswoman for Mr Lantos said he had decided to let the Bush administration "pursue its new course" over Kosovo.

Officially the Bush administration says it takes no position on the 'final status' talks, but that it will not let the matter drag on. Together with the European powers, the Bush administration says Kosovo cannot be partitioned, or merge with Albania, or with parts of Macedonia. The merger option is strongly rejected by Macedonia.

European diplomats strongly believe the US favours 'conditional' or 'supervised' independence for Kosovo. This would entail Kosovo remaining a ward of the international community for several years, until given full statehood, and eventual membership of Nato and the European Union. Serbia, and probably an independent Montenegro if it votes to leave its union with Serbia, would be offered the same membership if they do not block internationally supervised independence in Kosovo.

source:  http://news.serbianunity.net/press/suc321.html  edited and expanded