- Title: SERBIA: Serbs in Northern Mitrovica pray for peace
- Date: 16th February 2008
- Summary: KARADJORDJEVIC OUTSIDE OF CHURCH (SOUNDBITE) (English) SERBIAN PRINCE ALEXANDER KARADJORDJEVIC, SAYING: "Obviously now we are moving ahead to create little states and probably more problems. Again I appeal for peace and I do not want to see a situation like the Israeli and Palestinian which of course I am very sad for. And I hope that politicians World - wide will not use Kosovo and Metohija as an example to create problems between people. Our people are good people they want to live in peace, they want to have economic success. And I appeal for help also from everybody on the humanitarian side too." CHURCH
- Embargoed: 2nd March 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Serbia
- Country: Serbia
- Topics: Domestic Politics,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVABQUDW51TLAYXW5SAMMID4S4PW
- Story Text: Serbs living in Northern Mitrovica pray for peace and tolerance on the eve of breakaway province Kosovo's expected declaration of independence.
Serbs held a day of prayer and protest on Saturday (February 16) on the eve of the independence of Kosovo, their cherished southern province that is home to 2 million Albanians.
"We should do what we can to remain in our homes. To remain on this territory on the wholly Kosovo Metohija, around our temples, our monasteries and our graves." Bishop Artemije, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, told several hundred Serbs at the St Dimitrije church in the north Kosovo town of Mitrovica.
Serbian prince Aleksander Karadjordjevic attended the mass, showing support for Serbians in Kosovo.
"Obviously now we are moving ahead to create little states and probably more problems. Again I appeal for peace and I do not want to see a situation like the Israeli and Palestinian which of course I am very sad for.
And I hope that politicians World - wide will not use Kosovo and Metohija as an example to create problems between people. Our people are good people they want to live in peace, they want to have economic success. And I appeal for help also from everybody on the humanitarian side too." Karadjordjevic after the mass.
Kosovo's parliament will declare independence on Sunday (February 17), almost nine years since NATO went to war to save the province's 90-percent Albanian majority from a wave of killings and ethnic cleansing by Serb forces trying to crush a rebel insurgency.
The declaration will be made during a session in the capital Pristina due to begin at 3.00 p.m. (1400 GMT), according to the schedule of events leaked to media on Saturday.
Backed by Russia, Serbia rejects the secession and has told Kosovo's 120,000 remaining Serbs to do the same, cementing a de facto partition that will weigh on the new state for years.
The Serb-dominated north has promised to reject the new EU mission, fueling fears it could try to break away. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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