UN envoy holds 'good' first meeting with new Serbian Prime Minister

The senior United Nations envoy to Kosovo and the new Prime Minister of Serbia have discussed issues key to the stability of the region, the UN Interim Administration Mission in the province (UNMIK) reported today.

During Friday's meeting, UNMIK chief Michael Steiner and Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic covered the transfer of competencies, minority issues and the return process.

"We had a good meeting and I see a scope for future cooperation," Mr. Steiner told reporters after the talks. He stressed that the transfer of authority to Kosovo's provisional institutions would continue as called for by the UN Security Council. "The Security Council requested that this process should conclude by the end of this year," he noted.

The UNMIK chief also expressed optimism about Kosovo's future. "If you look at the process, if you look at the preparations for making returns possible, for making possible that people live in the places where they come from, the situation is getting better despite all difficulties."