Russia to push at U.N. for more Kosovo talks: envoy

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia will argue before the U.N. Security Council for continuing negotiations on the future of Kosovo, even though talks so far have not resolved the issue, U.N. ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Friday.

Churkin was speaking to reporters after U.S., Russian and European mediators failed to secure agreement between the breakaway Serbian province's ethnic Albanian majority and Belgrade in a four-month negotiating effort.

The report of the so-called "troika" of mediators on the talks was handed to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday evening, diplomats said. It has not so far been made public. The Security Council is due to discuss it on December 19.

"When the time comes to consider the troika report in the Security Council, Russia will be arguing in favor of continuing the negotiation," Churkin said.

He said the Russian U.N. mission was circulating to other Security Council members elements of a council statement "aimed at encouraging ... the two parties to continue negotiations".

The position of Russia, a close ally of Serbia, is certain to be rejected, however, by Western members of the council, who believe the negotiations are now dead and that it is time to prepare for Kosovo independence.

The Kosovo Albanians have demanded independence in their talks with the Serbian authorities, but Belgrade has only been willing to grant the province autonomy under continued Serbian sovereignty.

(Reporting by Patrick Worsnip)