EU foreign ministers yesterday rejected a call from Kosovo's moderate Albanian leader for independence but said the status of the province must be resolved.
Mr Ibrahim Rugova a veteran pacifist, claimed victory in Saturday's general election and urged the world to recognise the territory as an independent state.
"We have not changed our minds. We are not in favour of independence (for Kosovo)," said Belgian Foreign Minister Mr Louis Michel, who chaired ministerial meeting in Brussels.
Diplomats said the UN Security Council resolution 1,244, which envisages an autonomous Kosovo still within the Yugoslav Federation, must remain the guide to dealing with the province.
Kosovo, while legally part of Serb-dominated Yugoslavia, has been a de-facto international protectorate since June 1999, when NATO bombing ended oppression of its ethnic Albanian majority by the regime of Slobodan Milosevic.
Several EU ministers called for discussions on Kosovo's eventual status, but said the new administration should focus on tackling the shattered economy, combating rampant crime and raising living standards.
Mr Rugova's party won the general election at the weekend with 46.29 per cent of the vote, according to preliminary results released yesterday. The party defeated the Democratic Party of Kosovo led by former guerrilla chief Mr Hashim Thaci which came second with 25.54 per cent.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria's President-elect Georgi Parvanov (44), a former communist, has said he planned to secure his country's swift entry into the EU and NATO. He beat the centre-right incumbent, Mr Petar Stoyanov, in Sunday's presidential election.