Kosovo's Thaci starts coalition talks with rivals
PRISTINA, Serbia (Reuters) - Prime Minister-designate Hashim Thaci launched talks on Tuesday with his main political rivals on a ruling coalition to lead Kosovo to a declaration of independence from Serbia early next year.
The deadline for a deal between Serbia and the Kosovo Albanians expired on Monday without result. European Union foreign ministers edged towards unity on independence for the province which is opposed by Serbia and its backer Russia.
Ex-guerrilla fighter Thaci, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, formally received the nomination for prime minister from President Fatmir Sejdiu after a November 17 election.
The two immediately began discussions on the possibility of forming a "grand coalition".
Thaci's PDK and Sejdiu's Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) have been bitter rivals since the 1998-99 war. For the first time the PDK beat the LDK into second place in Kosovo's parliamentary election in November.
"Kosovo is at the most important crossroads in its history," Thaci wrote in a letter to Sejdiu inviting him to talks.
"We all agree that for the interests of our citizens we should set aside our differences and unite for one aim: to solve the problems of today and the challenges of tomorrow."
Thaci, 39, waited until after the formal end of failed negotiations on the fate of the Albanian majority province to make his widely predicted overture to the LDK. Some LDK officials have indicated they are prepared to enter a coalition.
Western diplomats hope an PDK-LDK pact could lead Kosovo through what promises to be a turbulent transition to statehood.
Kosovo leaders announced on Monday they would immediately start consultations with their Western backers on a declaration of independence, expected in the first months of 2008.
Kosovo's U.N. administrator stressed the need to form a parliament and government quickly. "We need functioning institutions at this critical time," German diplomat Joachim Ruecker said after meeting Sejdiu.
Kosovo has been run by the United Nations since 1999, when NATO bombed to drive out Serb forces and halt the ethnic cleansing of Albanians in a two-year counter-insurgency war.
Thaci's guerrillas eclipsed the LDK's policy of passive resistance to Serb repression, which had brought few results.
The LDK's fortunes have foundered since the death in 2006 of its popular leader, then-Kosovo president Ibrahim Rugova. Its vote plummeted to 22.6 percent last month from 45.4 percent in 2004. The PDK won 34.3 percent.
Together the two parties would hold 62 seats in the 120-seat parliament. Thaci has indicated he would also welcome the participation of ethnic minorities, including Serbs.
(Writing by Matt Robinson; editing by Robert Woodward)
