Kosovo assembly marks historic day

Rugova is looking to head Kosovo's parliament

PRISTINA, Yugoslavia -- Politicians from across Kosovo's ethnic divide have held their first parliamentary session in 13 years.

The 120-seat assembly, designed to give the volatile southern Yugoslav province autonomy under a United Nations umbrella, met on Monday amid tight security in the regional capital Pristina.

The legislature is the third force to govern the province alongside U.N. officials and NATO-led peacekeepers, who took control of Kosovo in June 1999 after 78 days of NATO airstrikes.

The alliance launched the air war to force former Yugoslav President, and Serb nationalist, Slobodan Milosevic to end his crackdown on ethnic Albanians.

"This is a historical day for Kosovo," Kosovo's U.N. governor Hans Haekkerup, who is temporary chairman of the assembly, told the legislators, who were searched before entering the building and had to walk through a metal detector to reach the chamber.

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Referring to the former Yugoslavia's communist past, he said, "For the first time in history, we are now participating in the opening of a truly democratically elected assembly representing the people of Kosovo."

The delegates ended the inaugural session after less than two hours and scheduled a new meeting for December 13.

The head of the biggest party in the legislative body, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said deputies would then choose a president of the province.

"The main point on the agenda will be the election of the president of Kosovo," LDK leader Ibrahim Rugova told reporters. Rugova's party won last month's election, but he will need outside support to be elected president.

The 120-seat legislature, dominated by independence-minded ethnic Albanian parties, appointed a presidency of the assembly at its first session, held under tight security.

But the meeting was marred by a brief walkout by deputies of the assembly's second largest party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo led by former guerrilla leader Hashim Thaci, protesting that their proposals were ignored.

'Strewn with thorns'

The assembly is designed to give Kosovo substantial self-rule while the U.N.'s mission retains overall authority. Observers hope its ethnic mix will be able to overcome years of racial tension and hatred.

But ethnic Albanians are optimistic the provisional institutions of self-government will take them closer to independence while the Serb minority are desperate to keep the province inside Yugoslavia.

"The road to parliamentary democracy in Kosovo will be strewn with thorns," said Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic before the session began.

The U.N. administrator reserves the right to veto any decision, and the assembly is not allowed to discuss such contentious issues as the final status of Kosovo.