http://www.newsday.com/ap/international/ap745.htm U.N. Urges Yugoslavia on Elections by GERALD NADLER Associated Press Writer UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The head of U.N. peacekeeping urged Yugoslavia on Thursday to send an ''unequivocal'' message to Kosovo Serb political parties to participate in November elections in the province. Jean Marie Guehenno said that the Nov. 17 vote to elect a 120-seat assembly for Kosovo will be a big step in fulfilling the U.N. mandate to bring the largely ethnic Albanian-populated province to provisional self-government. Kosovo's Serb parties boycotted municipal elections last year, but Guehenno said that four Serb parties have applied to be certified for the upcoming elections. Kosovo, a province of Serbia, has been run by the world body since Yugoslav troops were chased from the province by NATO's air war in 1999. ''We are very pleased that four Kosovo Serb parties have decided to certify for the elections and again urge the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to unequivocally encourage participation in the elections as a means to undercut extremism, reduce inter-ethnic tensions and stake the rightful claim of the Kosovo Serb community to participate in the political process,'' Guehenno said. Yugoslav authorities have yet to specifically call for Kosovo Serb parties to register for the election or for Serbs to vote. Twenty seats in the 120-member assembly are reserved for minorities. Guehenno told an open meeting of the Security Council that it is ''imperative'' that the Kosovo Serbs register to vote and participate in the ballot. The Serbs have from Monday until Sept. 9 to register. He said special registration centers were being set up for registration by minority communities. Serbian News Network - SNN [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.antic.org/
