UNMIK WILL TRANSFER 80 PERCENT OF AUTHORITIES TO KOSOVARS

PRISTINA, Nov 27 (Hina) - The UN civil mission to Kosovo (UNMIK), which governs the southern Yugoslav province under Resolution 1244, will transfer 80 percent of authorities to local bodies when the newly-established parliament holds its first session on Dec. 10, deputy civil administrator Tom Koenigs said on Tuesday. UNMIK will continue to supervise issues such as security, foreign affairs, and the rights of ethnic minorities, for which civil administrator Hans Haekkerup remains in charge, said Koenigs. The first step after the parliamentary session is the constitution of the Kosovo Assembly, which will elect the president of Kosovo. The president then nominates the prime minister, who will head a nine-minister government. Seven ministers will come from the Kosovo Albanians and the other two from the minorities, one Serb and one for the other minorities. Commenting on Ibrahim Rugova's statement that he will advocate independence for Kosovo if elected president, and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic's that in that case Kosovo Serbs will establish their own parliament, Koenigs said they were detrimental to Kosovo. He reminded a decision on the final status of the province would be made in three years at the earliest. (hina) ha