Thursday, June 15, 2006

Serbia: Hundreds of ethnic Albanians demand regional self-rule at rally

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Hundreds of ethnic Albanians demonstrated in tense southern Serbia Thursday, demanding regional self-rule in the municipalities where they form a majority.

At the gathering in the town of Presevo, near the boundary with U.N.-run province of Kosovo, the ethnic Albanians accused the Serbian government of an "inadequate" approach to problems in the area.

The Presevo Valley was the scene of an ethnic Albanian rebellion in 2000-2001, which ended in a western-brokered deal granting more rights to the local communities.

The ethnic Albanians in the area have said they want to split the region from Serbia and unite it with neighboring Kosovo, also populated predominantly by ethnic Albanians.

Speaking at the rally, local ethnic Albanian leader and former Presevo mayor Riza Halimi said the Presevo Valley should gain "regional self-rule." He did not elaborate.

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