Bush said he would like U.S. and Russian defense experts to hold meetings to discuss the matter.
Bush also reiterated that Kosovo ought to be independent from Serbia, saying that "the time is now to move the Ahtisaari plan," referring to the proposal by UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari to give Kosovo a form of supervised independence.
In Albania on June 10, Bush said the United Nations should grant independence quickly to the Serbian province.
Russia, which has veto power on the UN Security Council, has joined its ally Serbia in opposing moves to grant Kosovo independence. Russia has called for more negotiations between Serbs and Kosovo's ethnic-Albanian majority.
In his comments in Albania, Bush said that "sooner rather than later," Kosovo needs to become independent.
Finally, Bush urged Libya to release five Bulgarian nurses sentenced to death for allegedly infecting hundreds of children with the virus that leads to AIDS. He said the release of the five was a "high priority" for the United States.
(with material from AFP, AP)
Moscow And Washington: Toe To Toe
U.S. President George W. Bush (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G8 summit in Germany on June 7 (AFP)
MOUNTING TENSIONS. Relations between Russia and the United States have grown increasingly tense in recent months as issues like missile-defense, Kosovo's status, and Russia's domestic policies have provoked sharp, public differences. On June 5, U.S. President George W. Bush said democratic reforms in Russia have been "derailed"....(more)
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