SOME KOSOVO ALBANIANS REJECT HAEKKERUP-COVIC AGREEMENT

PRISTINA, Nov 7 (Hina) - The Kosovo Democratic Party and the Kosovo Future Alliance have rejected an agreement on Kosovo Serb participation in upcoming general elections in the province that has been reached by the UN civil administrator in Kosovo, Hans Haekkerup, and the Serbian government's commissioner for the province, Nebojsa Covic. The two leading Kosovo Albanian parties held a closed-door meeting on Wednesday. The president of the most numerous party, Kosovo Democratic Alliance's Ibrahim Rugova, did not attend. The participants in the meeting adopted a declaration categorically refusing a document Haekkerup and Covic signed in Belgrade as it was done without the participation of and consultations with Kosovo Albanian leaders, Kosovo Democratic Party's Hashim Thaqi said. He is confident Rugova's party will support the declaration. The Kosovo Albanian leaders are confident the Nov. 17 ballot will be held in peace and a tolerant atmosphere, and that powers will gradually be transferred from the international community onto the Kosovars. They resolutely oppose any parallel institutions and Belgrade's involvement in decision-making on Kosovo's future. (hina) ha