Serbia braced for Kosovo loss Russia can't prevent

By Ivana Sekularac

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbia braced itself on Wednesday for the loss of Kosovo province, with its ally Russia apparently resigned to the territory's independence proclamation.

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica called on Serbs in Kosovo not to leave the breakaway province after its 90 percent ethnic Albanian majority declares independence.

"Our people in Kosovo should stay in their homes, in their province, in their Serbia," he said. "For the Serbian government, every individual in Kosovo is considered an equal and rightful citizen of the state."

The statement followed a call by a prominent Kosovo Serb urging Serbian leaders not to sow panic with hardline rhetoric against independence, but to call on Serbs to stay in their homes, despite some fear of possible unrest.

Kosovo Albanians are to declare independence from Serbia on Sunday, almost nine years after NATO bombs drove out Serb forces to halt a wave of killings and ethnic cleansing by Serb forces in a two-year war against separatist rebels.

The major Western powers are expected to recognize the new state quickly, over the fierce objections of Serbia and its ally, Russia.

The European Union and Russia failed to narrow their differences at talks in Slovenia, but Moscow said it did not plan sanctions against Kosovo or its supporters.

The U.N. Security Council will hold an extraordinary session on Thursday to discuss Kosovo. Russia called the meeting at Serbia's request but said Moscow had little hope the council, which is deadlocked on Kosovo, can resolve the issue.