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S/E EUROPE http://www.ekathimerini.com/kathnews/images/xline.gif http://www.ekathimerini.com/kathnews/images/dot_clear.gif Celebration and protest mark first week of independence http://www.ekathimerini.com/kathnews/images/dot_clear.gifKosovo Albanians revel while Serbia wants the UN to reverse its recognition http://www.ekathimerini.com/kathnews/photos/25-02-08/25-02-08_93697_1.gif PRISTINA (AP) – Kosovo marked its first full week of independence with prayers and protests yesterday, as outraged Serbs geared up for demonstrations across Europe. Serbs refusing to let Kosovo secede from Serbia without a fight planned to stage their seventh straight day of protests in the ethnically divided northern town of Kosovska Mitrovica, where UN police and NATO-led peacekeepers maintained a presence aimed at discouraging any violence. Serbs also planned anti-independence rallies in Geneva, Vienna and other European capitals. Saturday’s protests were peaceful – a stark difference from the rioting that broke out Thursday in Belgrade, where protesters stormed the US Embassy and set part of it ablaze. In Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian-dominated capital, Pristina, the curious gathered around a sculpture spelling out “Newborn” in giant yellow letters and covered in graffiti scribbled by revelers after lawmakers proclaimed independence a week ago. “We love you Kosovo!” someone signed in English. “We celebrate this important day with historic responsibility and a very satisfying result, bringing huge recognition from the entire world for an independent Kosovo,” Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said yesterday while visiting the grave of the late pacifist President Ibrahim Rugova, revered among ethnic Albanians for his drive for statehood. Thaci, a former guerrilla leader of the now-disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army in the 1998-99 war with Serbian troops, reached out anew to Kosovo’s Serbian minority. “I will be beside them to help them to integrate in Kosovo’s democratic institutions, to integrate in the democratic society of our country,” Thaci said. “They, as citizens of this country, should be comfortable with this new reality since Kosovo is a homeland to all its citizens and all the rights of minorities will be respected.” But in Belgrade, fury over Kosovo’s February 17 declaration of independence showed no signs of abating. Branislav Ristivojevic, an adviser to nationalist Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, said the only way to ease tensions in the Balkans would be for the United States, “which has produced the crisis,” to convene an emergency session of the UN Security Council and “reaffirm” Kosovo as part of Serbian territory. In the Serb enclave of Gracanica just outside Pristina, locals said yesterday they felt abandoned by the Serbian government and were fearful of reprisal attacks by the ethnic Albanians who surround their village. “Every night that we lie in bed, we don’t know in the morning what is going to happen,” said Jovanka Petrovic, among Sunday worshippers at Gracanica’s sole Orthodox church. “We are afraid to go to sleep. We are not free.” “There is no more Serbia. We have lost everything,” added Ana Ivanovic, another worshipper. But ethnic Albanians exulted in their independence and held out hope that the unrest and uncertainty would subside. “People are still celebrating,” said Artan Dedushaj. US envoy ‘very angry’ about Serb violence BELGRADE (AP) – The US ambassador warned Serbia’s leaders yesterday to prevent future violence against diplomatic missions, demanding that the government back its condemnation of the violence with action. Ambassador Cameron Munter told The Associated Press he was outraged at the mob that set fire to part of the US Embassy last week to protest America’s embrace of Kosovo’s declaration of independence. Serbia considers Kosovo to be part of its sacred heartland and believes that US support for independence is wrong. “I’m very angry at what happened,” Munter said of the riots. “It had better not happen again.” The rioters stormed the embassy after a rally of tens of thousands to protest Kosovo’s actions. One of the rioters, Zoran Vujovic, died in the fire, which was set by the mob in an office facing one of the main thoroughfares in Belgrade. No Americans were hurt. “He had no contact with any security personnel of our embassy,” Munter said in an interview. “He tragically died as a result of the fire set by the attackers.” In response to the attack, the US State Department on Friday ordered the evacuation of non-essential embassy staff and dependents. Munter said they would return once security was assured. The attackers also targeted the embassies of Germany, Turkey, Croatia, Belgium, Slovenia and other Western countries whose governments have recognized Kosovo’s independence.
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