Hungary's role in Kosovo will shift to leading a manouvering batallion in western Kosovo next summer, Defence Minister Imre Szekeres said on Saturday, starting a two-day visit to Kosovo.

The 370-strong Hungarian unit will take over security, patrolling, reconnaissance and checkpoint tasks in a NATO batallion, working together with Italians and Slovenes. The troops will operate in one-fifth of Kosovo's whole area, Szekeres said.

Szekeres said this was a momentous change, as it will be the first time for Hungarians to lead a multi-national unit in a foreign mission.

Costs of the new mission will be unchanged - 500 million forints (about 1.97 million euros) a year - Szekeres said.

Szekeres, accompanied by US Embassador to Hungary April H Foley, is scheduled to meet KFOR Commander Xavier de Marnhac and UN Special Envoy for Kosovo Joachim Ruecker. The agenda will include tasks of the upcoming period until February 2008, when a resolution on Kosovo's status is expected, and preparations for the leadership tasks of the new batallion.

Szekeres is accompanied by journalists and TV personalities, such as the TV chef Lazar Kovacs, who will help prepare a special Christmas dinner for the troops in Kosovo. Former beauty queen Zsoka Kapocs is also part of the accompanying crew.

Defence Minister Imre Szekeres met the commander of the multitask Kosovo Force (KFOR) in the western region, Brigadier General Antonio Venci, in Pec on Sunday.

At the end of his two-day visit to Kosovo, Szekeres visited Pec, where 150 Hungarian troops are stationed at a multinational base.

From the summer of 2008, the contingent will be expanded to 370 troops and will take over leadership tasks in a manouver batallion, which will be responsible for security and reconnaissance tasks.

Venci told Szekeres that the region is peaceful at the moment, including the borders with Montenegro, Serbia and Albania.

Szekeres said he had received a detailed military assessment of the region which Hungary will supervise - the middle one of three in W Kosovo - and that the area includes Serbian church objects which Hungarian troops will be protecting.

Szekeres said he discussed with Venci plans to move the Hungarian camp in Pristina to Pec, as its location behind hills was more favourable. No improvements are necessary in the Pec camp and Hungary will rent accommodation for soldiers, Szekeres said.

Szekeres and his delegation, including US Ambassador to Hungary April H Foley, returned to Hungary in the evening.