SITUATION VERY DIFFICULT; NO PROGRESS SO FAR - HOLBROOKE IN KOSOVO

( Editorial: --> 7401 ) PRISTINA, Oct 10 (Hina) - The situation in Kosovo is extremely serious and there have been no changes so far, special United States envoy Richard Holbrooke said in Pristina on Saturday. Holbrooke spoke to reporters after talks with a Kosovo Albanian negotiating team and Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova. As regards negotiations we are where we were yesterday, he said. U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia Christopher Hill will stay in Pristina, Holbrooke said, adding he himself and British Ambassador Brian Donely were to return to Belgrade for talks with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. According to the U.S. envoy, NATO was continuing preparations while he was trying to find a way out of the difficult situation. Rugova is acting responsibly and the U.S. greatly respects and appreciates this, he said. Asked if any progress had been made in the negotiations, Holbrooke said he did not comment as long as negotiations were in course. Britain's Donely told reporters the Contact Group had defined six demands resulting from a UN Security Council resolution on Kosovo. Donely said Holbrooke had invited him to demonstrate unity in the demands. (hina) ha 101638 MET oct 98