UNITED NATIONS, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council will be sending a mission on Tuesday to Belgrade and Kosovo to get a firsthand look at the political, economic and social situation on the ground, a letter from the Council Presidency to the UN Secretary-General said Monday.

    The letter, which is dated on Friday, said the objectives aim to obtain firsthand information on progress made in Kosovo since the adoption of Security Council resolution in 1999, to receive information directly from the both sides concerned, and to receive information directly from representatives of the international community.

    The six-day visit will be led by the Belgian ambassador Johan CVerbeke, and representatives from the other 14 members of the Council. The new U.S. ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad is also on the list.

    UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon conveyed last month to the Council a proposal by his special envoy for Kosovo, who recommends "supervised independence" for the Serbian province, a step strongly opposed by Serbia.

    Russia afterwards suggested that the Council have a comprehensive review of the implementation of the resolution concerning the issue of Kosovo.