FACTBOX - Serb plans for Kosovo vs current status

(Reuters) - Serbs and Kosovo Albanians hold talks on Friday on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly in New York to discuss the future of the breakaway Serbian province.

Here is a brief outline of a Serb plan offering the province a high degree of autonomy, and a description of how the province is currently run under the United Nations and an ethnic Albanian leadership that demands independence.

THE SERB OFFER

* Kosovo would remain within Serbia as a province with "substantial autonomy" and operate as a "self-governing territory" in economic and internal political matters.

* Belgrade would handle issues such as foreign policy and border control, though not necessarily with Serb soldiers because of security concerns. It would require an international military presence to keep the peace in the province.

* Kosovo would not get money from the Serb budget, but would be responsible for its own economic policy. Kosovo Albanians would not participate in Serbia's elections, but would hold a vote for their own assembly.

REALITY ON THE GROUND

* Kosovo is part of Serbia only on paper, otherwise operating independently in all areas of political and economic life under the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, with responsibilities increasingly devolved to local authorities.

* It has adopted the euro currency, runs its own customs service and police force and has the nucleus of a future army in the civilian emergency force "Kosovo Protection Corps".

* It has no foreign ministry but its officials regularly meet world leaders. It has successfully held two general elections and signed regional agreements, but its economic development is hindered by the unresolved status, which has made it hard to attract investment and loans.