April 25, 2007 - 20:17 AMT
Kosovo: Mission of UN Security Council departed for Balkans
Representatives of all UN Security Council member-states departed for Balkans with a 5-day visit. Fife permanent and 10 non-permanent representatives of the UN Security Council are included in the mission. Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations Vitali Churkin and US's new Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad are also included in the mission. The latter assumed office just on Tuesday.

Belgium's representative Johan Verbeke heads the mission. The tour will launch with a visit with NATO Sec. Gen. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Brussels, after which the diplomats will depart for Serbian capital Belgrade. Serbian authorities oppose Kosovo's independence.

The UN mission members after visiting Belgrade are going to be in Pristina, Kosovo's capital. They will meet with the acting UN administration of Kosovo and local politicians, who represent the Albanian majority of the province, the BBC Russian service reported.