Second Attempt To Elect Kosovo President Fails

The Parliament of Kosovo, an autonomous territory within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, has for the second time failed to elect Chairman of the Kosovo Democratic Union Ibrahim Rugova president of Kosovo. In order to be elected president, Mr. Rugova needs to receive two thirds of the votes, or 80 votes. He has received 50. On the eve of the vote, representatives of the European Union, heads of UN and OSCE missions, as well as a number of Western countries unambiguously urged Kosovo's political parties to give their support to Mr. Rugova. However, even before the vote, representatives of virtually all Albanian parties other than the Kosovo Democratic Union, as well as leaders of Serbs and other non-Albanian members of the parliament spoke against the candidacy.