The 27 EU member states are set to declare their strong support for Ahtisaari's plan for the breakaway Serb province when they meet in Brussels, despite misgivings in some quarters, according to diplomatic sources.

The recently drafted plan offers Kosovo self-governance, a constitution, anthem and flag. While it does not mention independence many see the plan as leading to the breakaway province's eventual separation from Serbia, something that Belgrade opposes.

The foreign ministers, whom the UN envoy will meet during one of their regular meetings in Brussels, face a difficult task in reaching agreement over how to handle Belgrade politically.

The Kosovo/Serbia issue is of particular interest to them as the EU is preparing to take control of United Nations mission in Kosovo, which has administered the province for the last eight years in collaboration with NATO and 17,000 KFOR troops.

Also, both Serbia and Kosovo are seen by many as possible future EU members.

Fears of separatism

Ahtisaari's settlement plan worries some countries which fear political fallout into their own separatism problems if Kosovo and its mainly Albanian population are allowed to go it alone, European sources said.

The most nervous nations are Cyprus, Romania and Spain, according to one source.

Another concern is the possible effect on the secessionist tendencies in the Republika Srpska, the Serb half of Bosnia.

"I think the judgment is ... that these concerns are outweighed by the advantages that come from settling the last big constitutional issue in the Balkans," the European source said. "If you put this issue to bed you can say to the whole region: 'That's it, time to get on with moving towards the European Union.'"

Serbia's first step towards that goal, talks on a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), are stalled over its failure to cooperate fully with the UN war crimes tribunal -- shorthand for its failure to track down former Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic, who is indicted for genocide.

The hope is that a new Serb coalition government, currently cobbled together following a general election last month, will provide the fresh start needed to get back to the negotiating table.

EU divided

However there are sharp differences within the EU over whether to encourage Serbia by reopening the SAA talks or to insist first that they cooperate with the Hague-based court.

Austria, Italy and Spain want to see talks with the Serbs reopen, but not be concluded, before full cooperation with the court is achieved.

Others, including Belgium and the Netherlands, feel compliance must be a prerequisite for restarting talks.

Though formally still part of Serbia, Kosovo has been run by a UN mission since 1999, after NATO's aerial bombardment drove out forces loyal to then Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic over a crackdown on ethnic Albanians.

Ahtisaari will hold talks with Serbs and Kosovars from Feb. 21 before presenting his final propositions to the UN Security Council, probably in late March.

Deaths after protest to UN plan

Two people injured in violent clashes with police during a pro-independence protest in Kosovo died of their wounds Sunday, a police spokesman there said. They two were among 25 people hospitalized after a protest in Pristina on Saturday against the UN plan for the future of Kosovo.

The demonstration turned violent with anti-riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets at several thousand ethnic Albanians.

"It is regrettable that two lives were lost as a result of a wanton breach of security at government buildings," UN police commissioner Stephen Curtis said in a statement.

EU police for Afghanistan

Also on their Brussels agenda, the EU foreign ministers will welcome the agreement thrashed out between the Fatah and Hamas groups on forming a Palestinian government of national unity.

The EU 27 are also set to give the green light on Monday for a European mission to Afghanistan aimed at training the local police force, according to diplomatic sources.

Some 160 European police officers, aided by 50-70 experts, will help "to establish an Afghan police force which respects human rights and operates on that basis on the central, regional and provincial levels," according to the draft conclusion to be adopted by the EU foreign ministers.