BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday voiced its support to negotiations for deciding the future status of the Serbian province of Kosovo.

    "The international community should continue to push the Serbian government and provisional Institutions of Self-government of Kosovo to pursue mutually-acceptable solutions through negotiations, instead of dictating to others," said Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan.

    "Negotiation and dialogue are the correct way to solving the Kosovo issue," said Tang in a meeting with Martti Ahtisaari, UN mediator in negotiations on the final status of Kosovo.

    Ahtisaari is paying a working visit in Beijing to coordinate with China, one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, on the Kosovo issue.

    "The Kosovo issue should be resolved within the framework of relevant UN resolutions," said Tang, adding that China supports the UN on continuous exertion of its constructive role in the Kosovo issue.

    "Any solution scenario should be beneficial to guaranteeing the equal rights of the Kosovo nationalities and maintaining peace and stability in the Balkan region," he added.

    Serbia wants to retain at least nominal sovereignty over Kosovo while Kosovo's ethnic Albanians demand outright independence. UN-mediated status talks between Serbia and the Kosovo Albanians began in February in Vienna, Austria and are under pressure to reach a settlement by the year's end.

    The sixth round of talks was held on May 31 in Vienna and reports said little progress has been made. Ahtisaari expects to finish the "technical" talks by July before talks on actual future status begin.

    Kosovo has been placed under UN administration according to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 since 1999.

    Ahtisaari, who is also former president of Finland, said he would continue to make efforts to properly tackle the issue on Kosovo's future status and enhance coordination with China in this regard. Enditem