PRISTINA, Serbia-Montenegro-The EU's envoy for Kosovo talks arrives in the province Thursday to discuss the ongoing talks on finding a future settlement and the EU's role in the process, an official said.

Stefan Lehne, who represents the EU in the U.N.-mediated talks, meets with Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Agim Ceku and other ethnic Albanian leaders involved in the negotiating process, said Torbjorn Sohlstrom, an EU official in the province.

Lehne is also expected to discuss progress on reforms and EU's current and future role in Kosovo during his two-day visit, Sohlstrom said. He will also meet with an expert group dealing with the Balkan province's economy in the status process.

Lehne was appointed the EU's representative to help former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari in finding a settlement for the disputed province.

Ethnic Albanians, who comprise about 90 percent of the province's population of 2 million, insist on full independence. But Serbia, and Kosovo's Serb minority, insist Belgrade must retain some control over the province.

The two sides have held two rounds of talks which ended without any clear agreement, but the two sides pledged to meet again April 3 to discuss reforms meant to give Serbs a more of a say in areas where they live.

EU officials recommended late last year that the bloc take over policing duties in Kosovo from the United Nations, which has been administering the province since 1999, adding the EU had a responsibility to help rebuild the province.

March 23, 2006 5:08 AM