Russia`s Medvedev Meets Serbia`s Nikolic on Kosovo

Russian President Vladimir Putin's chosen successor, Dmitry Medvedev, hosted Serbia's nationalist presidential candidate for talks on Wednesday about the breakaway province of Kosovo, Interfax news agency reported.

The leaders of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority are expected to declare independence from Serbia in days if pro-Russian candidate Tomislav Nikolic wins the Feb. 3 election against Serbian President Boris Tadic.

Russia, Serbia's main big power ally, has been trying to use its huge energy clout and seat at the U.N. Security Council to hinder independence for Kosovo, which Moscow says could set a precedent for other breakaway regions around the world.

"I know you as a committed supporter of the development of Russian-Serbian relations," Medvedev told Nikolic at a meeting in Moscow, Interfax reported.

"Recently we have had much positive news including about economic cooperation and the agreement on oil and gas cooperation," Medvedev said. "There are other questions on the agenda, including the problem of Kosovo."

Last week, Putin and Medvedev hosted Tadic in the Kremlin at a signing of a major energy deal that gave Russia the right to route a major gas supply route to Europe through Serbia and to buy control of the Serbian oil monopoly.

The United States and key European Union nations are eager to recognise Kosovo's independence, a move that has irked many Serbs who feel their country is being carved up by major powers.