Deadline Looms for Kurti to Form Kosovo Government

Albin Kurti, Kosovo's candidate for Prime Minister, has only until next Tuesday to form a new government - while the two main parties, his own Vetevendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK, have not yet reached a coalition agreement.

Local media reported that the presence of the so-called Quint ambassadors at a meeting between Vetevendosje and the LDK did not have the desired effect of prompting the two parties to settle their differences on Tuesday.

The Quint countries comprise the five big Western states with a direct interest in Kosovo - the US, Britain, France, Italy and Germany.

"There is no rapprochement between the two parties. We have made two proposals since my name was sent to the president as a candidate but two-sided consent is required for an agreement. We can't have an agreement of the 'take it or leave it' type," Kurti said.

LDK leader Isa Mustafa admitted that time was running out. "My interest and readiness [to reach an agreement] were never greater. We have one more week left," he said.

But he also made it clear that his party stood by its latest demand, which is to get the post of speaker of parliament, even though Vetevendosje has already taken it. Mustafa insisted the offer was balanced and reasonable.

Mustafa added that the Quint ambassadors had been informed of the negotiations so far, adding that "the goal was for them to get informed and not [for them] to mediate or intervene in the agreement process".

Local media had reported on Tuesday that the ambassadors might mediate in the meeting between the Vetevendosje and LDK leaders.

But, soon after, the ambassadors declared in a joint press release that they would not mediate because the "responsibility for the future of Kosovo …...