THE U.N. GOVERNOR OF KOSOVO SAYS THE PROVINCE HAS MADE REAL PROGRESS ON STANDARDS SET BY MAJOR POWERS, GIVING A BOOST TO THE ALBANIAN MAJORITY'S BID FOR INDEPENDENCE FROM SERBIA THIS YEAR, REUTERS REPORTED. THE POSITIVE ASSESSMENT IS CONTAINED IN DANISH DIPLOMAT SOREN JESSEN-PETERSEN'S UPCOMING REPORT TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL, TO BE PRESENTED IN LATE JUNE BUT SEEN BY REUTERS ON THURSDAY. HIS OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION IN SERBIA'S SOUTHERN PROVINCE, RUN BY THE WORLD BODY SINCE 1999, SAYS THE ALBANIAN LEADERSHIP HAS "REVITALISED" EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF SERBS AND OTHER ETHNIC MINORITIES AND CREATE A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY. "AS A RESULT OF THIS INTENSIFIED EFFORT IT IS NOW POSSIBLE TO DISCERN PROGRESS ACROSS THE BROAD FRONT ON STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION," SAYS THE REPORT. IF THE PROVISIONAL INSTITUTIONS "MAINTAIN THEIR PRESENT LEVEL OF COMMITMENT WE SHOULD WITNESS SUBSTANTIAL FURTHER ACHIEVEMENT IN THE COMING MONTHS", IT ADDS. THE REPORT WILL BE WELCOMED BY WESTERN POWERS WHO SAY KOSOVO'S 90-PERCENT ETHNIC ALBANIAN MAJORITY MUST ENFORCE THE RULE OF LAW AND PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE REMAINING 100,000 SERBS TO IMPROVE ITS CHANCES OF CLINCHING INDEPENDENCE. REFLECTING A GROWING CONFIDENCE INDEPENDENCE IS NEAR, THE KOSOVO ALBANIANS PUT IN A REQUEST TO A VISITING NATO DELEGATION FOR THEIR OWN DEFENCE FORCE ONCE A DEAL IS REACHED. PRESIDENT FATMIR SEJDIU AND PRIME MINISTER AGIM CEKU, A FORMER GUERRILLA COMMANDER, MADE THE SENSITIVE REQUEST TO THE DELEGATION LED BY NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER. THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM NATO, WHICH WITH THE U.N. HAS SHIED AWAY FROM THE ISSUE OF A FUTURE KOSOVO ARMY. BUT SCHEFFER, ON A ONE-DAY VISIT TO THE PROVINCE, SAID THE ALLIANCE'S 17,000 TROOPS WOULD KEEP THE PEACE AND WARNED EXTREMISTS AGAINST TESTING THEIR RESOLVE. "THE SPOILERS WILL NOT HAVE A CHANCE," HE TOLD REPORTERS. --MORE
