DECLARATION CALLING FOR KOSOVO'S INDEPENDENCE READ OUT AT ASSEMBLY SESSION

Pristina, 13 February: The Kosovo Assembly at a session today passed with acclamation a joint statement by the heads of the Assembly groups of the Democratic League of Kosovo, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo and the Bosniak Homeland Vatan coalition, supporting an initiative by 42 deputies that the Assembly proclaim an independent and sovereign Kosovo.

The deputies did not vote on this joint statement, called "a declaration on the declaration", but the text was merely read out. As a result of this, the draft declaration on independence has entered into the regular Assembly procedure to be discussed at a future session.

The regular session of the Kosovo Assembly opened in Pristina at 1000 0900 gmt today. The deputies will today discuss a bill on the liquidation and reorganization of bankrupt legal entities, a law on seeds and a law on Kosovo's forests.

Also taking part in the Assembly's work are the deputies of the ethnic Serb Return coalition, apart from Rada Trajkovic and Randjel Nojkic, who are watching a broadcast of the session on the Assembly premises...

The deputies of the Return coalition, apart from Trajkovic and Nojkic, were also present when the joint statement was read out. They had announced earlier that they would leave the session if the declaration of independence was placed on the agenda...

Source: Beta news agency, Belgrade, in Serbian 1051 gmt 13 Feb 03
BBC International Monitoring Service

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