Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin met with US special representative of the secretary of state to the Kosovo status talks, Frank Wisner on December 5 2007.

Kalfin said he was grateful to have had the opportunity to exchange opinions and to discuss the direction of the Kosovo status talks.

Kalfin had expressed his regret that an agreement had not yet been reached between Serbia and Kosovo about the future of the province, a Ministry media statement said.

It was important that there would not be a political vacuum after December 10 2007, Kalfin said, and that dialogue would continue between the international community on one side, and Kosovo and Serbia on the other. It was important for everyone, especially for the region, to find steps towards stability, he said.

Wisner said that, as a representative of secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, he would have to emphasise the meaning that the future of Kosovo and the region had for his government. Wisner regretted that it had not been possible to find a solution after 120 days of negotiations.

A solution for the Kosovo status was important to euro-atlantic solidarity, he said.

Wisner expressed his hope that a solution for the Kosovo status would be found through diplomacy, without resorting to violence and conflicts.