UN envoys are meeting with Serbian leaders just ahead of a vote by the UN Security Council to decide on Kosovo's independence.

The 15-member delegation is to assess progress made in Kosovo since the Council adopted Resolution 1244, which put an end to a brutal 1998-1999 crackdown on an independence-seeking ethnic Albanian majority.

The fact-finding mission began by meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, fiercely opposed to UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari's plan to grant Kosovo internationally supervised independence. It was also due to hold talks with President Boris Tadic, members of parliament and non-governmental organization representatives.

"The Security Council decided to have an information mission going to Belgrade and Pristina in order to have all the information we need for taking appropriate decisions," the Belgium head of the mission, Johan Verbeke, said in Brussels on Wednesday.

Breakaway Kosovo has been run by the United Nations since 1999, when NATO bombing drove out Serb forces. The year-long conflict left some 10,000 ethnic Albanians killed while hundreds of thousands fled Kosovo.

Moscow, Serbia's traditional ally has been opposing the independence proposal against the West, threatening this week to use its Security Council veto to block any new resolution that does not satisfy Serbia.

Russia proposed the fact-finding mission after Ahtisaari presented the Council with his plans last month and, alongside Serbia, has called for new negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina.

Belgrade hopes the UN mission will recognize failures of provisional Kosovo Albanian authorities to provide safe conditions for the province's Serbs and other minorities.

Meanwhile, some 100 Kosovo Serb refugees staged a protest on Thursday morning outside the Serbian government building in the capital, where Kostunica was meeting with the Security Council mission.

The UN delegates are to travel to Kosovo later on Thursday for talks with senior local officials before they head to Vienna Saturday for talks with Ahtisaari ahead of a debate on his proposals before the Security Council next month.

Meanwhile, Kosovo Albanian leaders expect the Security Council mission only to evaluate the situation on the ground in the province, and to recommend support for Ahtisaari's plan.

"We will show them that an independent Kosovo is not a problem for the United Nations, but their future and active member," said Kosovo's ethnic Albanian Prime Minister, Agim Ceku.

MRS/PC/MR