ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN KOSOVO IN FULL SWING

PRISTINA, Oct 27 (Hina) - Three weeks ahead of a general vote in Kosovo, election campaigning is in full swing. Ibrahim Rugova, president of the Kosovo Democratic Alliance, the largest Kosovo Albanian party, said at an election rally in Pristina on Saturday the upcoming vote proved that "we can govern Kosovo and build a democratic society." Two and a half years after the end of the Kosovo conflict, significant progress has been made in all spheres of life with the help of the U.N. Mission in Kosovo, the Kosovo Force, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and numerous non-government and humanitarian organisations, he said. Rugova described the election campaign as good and called on Kosovo citizens and political groups to demonstrate tolerance and understanding for different stands so that the election could be free, peaceful and fair. The head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Daan Everts, who attended the rally, described the Kosovo election campaign as very good. The Mission has called on Kosovo Serbs to take part in the vote, he said, adding their non-participation would not jeopardise the legitimacy of the vote. (hina) rml