DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE OF CROATIAN ALBANIANS ON THE KOSOVO CRISIS

( Editorial: --> 0179 ) ZAGREB, July 6 (Hina)- On the eve of a meeting of the Contact Group, which will debate the Kosovo crisis on 8 July in Zagreb, the Democratic Alliance of Croatian Albanians emphasised that as a constituent nation of the FRY the Kosovo Albanians were entitled to secede through negotiations, in accordance with the popular will manifested in a referendum. Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Nikolay Afanasyevski announced today that Russia would take a more active role in the Contact Group. Speaking in Belgrade after a meeting with the FRY president Slobodan Milosevic, Afanasyevski said Milosevic and the Serbian Government were ready to resume talking with the Albanian side, who have the destiny of the Kosovo peace process in their hands. The Serbian party is drafting a new plan, "based on the idea of a broadest possible autonomy for Kosovo", Afanasyevski said. (Hina) jn mr 062044 MET jul 98