UN Official Says Belgrade Blocking Kosova's Progress

26 October 2004 -- Kosova's UN high official Soren Jessen-Petersen has accused Serbia of undermining efforts to forge a multiethnic democracy in the province.

Jessen-Petersen made the comment to Reuters yesterday, two days after less than 1 percent of eligible Serbian voters participated in Kosova's general election.

The boycott was driven by Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica in Belgrade and the Serbian Orthodox Church. They both saw the Serbian province's second general election under UN rule as fostering the Albanian majority's claims to independence.

Jessen-Petersen said some Serb leaders are "stuck in the past."

(Reuters)