Schefer is a member of the Kosovo Contact Group, which yesterday held talks with Belgrade officials. They are scheduled to meet Kosovo officials later today.
Speaking to the press at the Russian Embassy, he said Belgrade would also support the participation of Kosovo Serbs in a decentralisation task force and encourage them to take part in other task forces as well as in Kosovo institutions.
Schefer said everyone was agreed at Monday's talks that the division of Kosovo was out of the question and that there was no going back to the situation prior to 1999.
He said the Contact Group heard that the authorities of Serbia and the state union of Serbia and Montenegro shared the same position, which he added was important given the key part Belgrade would play in the settlement of the Kosovo issue.
Schefer said that progress in solving the issue would depend on the meeting of democratic standards, primarily multi-ethnicity, respect for minority rights, refugee return, minorities' participation in government, decentralisation, protection of the cultural and religious heritage, and effective mechanisms of combating organised crime and corruption.
Speaking on behalf of European Union president Luxembourg, Silvija Lukas said every solution to the status of Kosovo would be incorporated into the EU as a whole, and that defining the status would also contribute to the completion of Serbia and Montenegro's European integration.
British diplomat John Soyers said Kosovo's independence should also be discussed given the huge support this option had in the UN-administered province.
The Contact Group delegation comprises representatives of Germany, Russia, the United States, Great Britain, France and Italy.
They are expected to submit their final assessment of how Kosovo is meeting standards to the UN Security Council in June. The start of talks on the province's status depends on that assessment.