( dpa )- The foreign ministers of Italy, Germany, France and Britain were meeting Friday evening close to the Slovenian capital Ljubljana to discuss a common strategy in response to a possible future independence declaration by Kosovo.
The meeting was being hosted by Slovenia, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency. Also participating were EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn .
Central to the talks would be a possible date for a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo, desired by the province's majority ethic Albanian population.
Also on the agenda was the decision, due January 28, on the sending of a 1,800-strong EU administration mission to Kosovo. According to diplomatic sources the decision may be postponed until February owing to opposition from some member states.
Ministers were also to discuss the possibility of smoothing Serbia's path towards EU entry as "compensation" for the loss of Kosovo.