Speaking to Albanian-language newspapers in Pristina on Saturday, Petersen said he was preparing such a meeting because he believed it was important to build trust. He added he was certain the meeting would take place in the near future, but could not say when or where.
The proposal for the meeting came from Tadic, but Rugova refused a direct meeting, saying it was possible only at an international conference on Kosovo.
Petersen said Rugova would agree to meet in the interest of building trust.
Diplomats in Pristina have mentioned Paris as a possible place for the meeting during a donor conference on the reconstruction of monuments demolished during March 2004 clashes in the UN-administered province.
Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi has expressed willingness to invite his Serbian counterpart Vojislav Kostunica to a meeting on technical issues. Kosumi has said he is very interested in the meeting, adding it should bring concrete results and not be used for promotion to score political points.