[ALBSA-Info] {QIKSH «ALBEUROPA»} NEWS: Kosovo Moderates Want Quick Independence after Poll (Reuters, Oct 30, 2000)

[Wolfgang Plarre]

http://www.centraleurope.com/yugoslaviatoday/news.php3?id=214924&section=Kosovo

Kosovo Moderates Want Quick Independence after Poll

PRISTINA, Oct 30, 2000 -- (Reuters) Moderate ethnic Albanian leader
Ibrahim Rugova on Sunday claimed victory after the first democratic
elections in Kosovo and said the province deserved immediate
independence from Yugoslavia.
     The OSCE said preliminary results from Saturday's municipal
elections, boycotted by minority Serbs, would not be released until
Monday but Rugova said his Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) had won.
     "Based on preliminary results, the LDK has won 60 percent of the
vote throughout Kosovo," Rugova told reporters. "This is reaffirmation
and recognition of LDK policy."
     He said the vote gave the province the right to freedom from
Yugoslavia's main republic Serbia. "This election had both local and
national context - which is independence of Kosovo.
     "I am for straightforward, formal recognition of Kosovo, better
now, when KFOR and UNMIK are here. Today or tomorrow, for me better
today."
     Kosovo came under UN administration, known as UNMIK, in mid-1999
after 11 weeks of NATO air strikes led to the withdrawal of Serbian
security forces who had waged an ethnic cleansing campaign against the
90 percent Albanian majority.
     KFOR, the 40,000 strong NATO-led peacekeeping force, said Saturday
was one of the quietest days since it arrived.

INDEPENDENCE ISSUE A DILEMMA

Kosovo's 19 Albanian parties unanimously seek independence and sometimes
campaigned as if little else mattered.
     Rugova's remarks underscored the dilemma for Kosovo's international
administrators who have praised the election as a firm step to
self-government but do not support independence, especially after a
democratic change of power in Belgrade earlier this month.
     "I am deeply impressed by the serene and peaceful atmosphere in
which the municipal elections have taken place and by the calm,
dignified and enthusiastic manner in which the Kosovars voted," European
Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said in a statement.
     Kosovo Albanians flooded the polls, queuing patiently for hours to
vote in what they saw as a final departure from 10 years of suffering
under Slobodan Milosevic, Belgrade's hardline nationalist leader who was
ousted this month.
     Virtually all Kosovo Serbs boycotted the election.
     Around 100,000 Serbs fled Kosovo as NATO troops moved in and
returning ethnic Albanians took revenge. Out of the remaining 100,000
Serbs, only 1,000 registered to vote.
     Jeff Fischer, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe's election chief, said turnout was so high that the last ballot
was cast at 1 a.m. (2300 GMT), well past the planned deadline of 7 p.m.
(1700 GMT) on Saturday.
     The OSCE was due to announce firm trends, based on a count of 90
percent of votes cast, on Monday afternoon.
     OSCE spokesman Roland Bless declined to comment on Rugova's victory
claim, saying counting was still going on.
     But Bless added: "Theoretically parties can have preliminary
figures because they had party observers (at polling stations)."

RUGOVA'S RIVALS SILENT

There was no word from the LDK's bitter main rival, the more militant
Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), headed by Hashim Thaci, former
commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
     Rugova, who led passive resistance to Milosevic for a decade, said
the LDK would cooperate with all political forces and ethnic groups.
     "The LDK cultivates tolerance and cooperation with other political
groups. We will continue protection of minorities which should be
integrated into Kosovo institutions," he said.
     A 150-member Council of Europe Election Observation Mission said on
Sunday the elections were apparently conducted according to
international standards of democracy.
     There were very few incidents despite sloppy organization at many
polling stations that caused queues up to three hours long, mission
chief Victor Ruffy said.
     Rugova said it was too early to consider a meeting with new
Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica.
     Kostunica has said Kosovo remains part of Serbia. The Belgrade
government says the Kosovo elections were unacceptable because they
served "one nation only".
     Rugova said the vote should be followed by parliamentary and
presidential elections by June 2001 at the latest.
     Kosovo's international authorities agree parliamentary elections
should be held next year.

(C)2000 Copyright Reuters Limited


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