Differences narrowed on Kosovo

The United States and Russia joined yesterday in demanding that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic grant rebellious ethnic Albanians in Kosovo ''substantial autonomy'' to run their own lives.

But two days of talks here by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright concluded also with sharp disagreement over moves by the Clinton administration to build a shield against missile attack.

Hospitalized President Boris Yeltsin told Albright in a 25-minute telephone conversation that he was concerned. Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov warned that ''further cuts in strategic offensive weapons can be done only if there is a clear vision that preserving and observing'' the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty must be maintained.

The Russian parliament has refused to act on the START II treaty to sharply reduce U.S. and Russian long-range nuclear warhead arsenals.