Albanians protest new UN plan for Kosovo

Nov 19, 2008, 10:56 GMT

Pristina - Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in the Kosovar capital of Pristina Wednesday in protest at a United Nations plan they see as a step toward the partition of Kosovo.

The crowd of some 30,000 assembled to back their leaders' refusal of the plan for the deployment of a European Union law-enforcing mission endorsed by Serbia.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February and was recognized by 52 nations, including the US and most of the EU, but Belgrade launched a diplomatic fight to reverse the process.

Kosovo has a 90-per cent Albanian majority, but the northern section is dominated by Serbs.

Following the secession, the EU agreed to send 2,000 police, judges and customs officials to Kosovo within the Eulex mission, which was to replace a UN presence after eight years.

But Belgrade, backed by ally Russia, locked the UN mission and pushed a revised plan for the Eulex through, envisaging a UN umbrella for the northern, Serb part of Kosovo.

Pristina leaders flatly rejected the plan, saying it was an effort to cement the existing ethnic separation in the tense Kosovo.

The Albanians insist that Eulex deploys in the entire territory of Kosovo and under the same rules everywhere, in order to limit Belgrade's influence over the north.

Serbia, which sees Kosovo as a heartland province, has said it would never recognize the new country and would always consider it its territory.

The UN arrived in Kosovo in 1999, after NATO ousted Belgrade's forces from there to end ethnic bloodshed.