Rice presses for action on Kosovo independence

By Sue Pleming

LISBON (Reuters) - Kosovo will get independence from Serbia "one way or another" despite Russia's objections at the United Nations, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday.

The United States is increasingly frustrated with Moscow's refusal to agree on a U.N. resolution that would lead to Kosovo's independence from Russian ally Serbia, leading to suggestions it will explore taking action outside the 15-member Security Council.

Rice told reporters traveling with her to Lisbon for a meeting of the quartet of Middle East mediators that U.S. President George W. Bush had made it very clear that Kosovo should have its independence from Serbia.

"The United States is absolutely committed to that," said Rice, who will see Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Lisbon at the meeting of the quartet, which comprises the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.

Asked whether the United States was prepared to move on Kosovo's path to independence outside the United Nations, Rice said: "We are committed to an independent Kosovo and we will get there one way or another."

Moscow rejects any move that would lead to Kosovo's independence and has said a draft European/U.S. text has "zero" chance of being adopted.

VETO RIGHT

The head of the Russian Duma, Boris Gryzlov, said in Montenegro that Russia would use its veto right against any U.N. resolution not backed by both Belgrade and Pristina.