Brussels, 30/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - G8 foreign affairs ministers (Germany, Canada, USA, France, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and Russia) meeting in Potsdam on Wednesday examined difficult international questions that will figure on the Heiligendamm summit agenda (6-8 June). Discussions about the future status of Kosovo appear particularly delicate. Moscow is still appealing for a negotiated settlement between Belgrade and Pristina. According to Russian press agencies, the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, indicated at the beginning of Wednesday's meeting that “the fate of Kosovo, the fate of Serbia on the whole, should be decided through their direct talks rather than in New York, Potsdam or in any other formats”. Nothing new either, at this stage, on the Iranian nuclear dossier, with attention currently focused on Madrid where Javier Solana is due to meet the Iranian negotiator, Ali Larijani, on Thursday. No new developments concerning the possibility of sanctions against Khartoum as a result of the Darfur situation. In the evening, members of the Quartet (US, Russia, EU and UN) are still expected to meet up to discuss the situation in the Middle East. (ab)