Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini and German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping voiced concern about the high level of violence persisting in Kosovo, the Italian Foreign Ministry said after they met in Rome on January 11 night.

Among the issues examined in the talks were NATO enlargement, the preparation of a NATO ministerial meeting in Florence in May, and relations with Russia.

Scharping was in Rome for a meeting of the NATO Defense College.

On Kosovo, the two noted "with concern how the level of violence has stayed high despite the efficiency shown by KFOR."

They voiced the hope that an international police force would soon be completely deployed and that Kosovo institutions would be set up and consolidated.

The importance of stabilizing Yugoslavia within its existing borders, helping the Serbian opposition, fighting illegal trafficking, providing economic humanitarian aid, reinforcing security and boosting democracy was underscored, the Italian Foreign Ministry said.

The ministers said that a democratic Serbia must be a part of the Balkan Stability Pact, which must be relaunched.

On European defense, they stressed the need to map out the military goals sketched at the recent EU summit, both within the EU and -- for specific tasks -- Western European Union ambits.

Dini stressed the importance of reinforcing NATO's southern flank, also in relation to the Balkan situation, working with the EU and other international bodies. (Xinhua)