Mitrovica, Kosovo:  Kosovo's hardline Serb leaders formed their own parliament today, ignoring Kosovo's declaration of independence and defying its United Nations administrators.

The action in the Serb-controlled half of the divided town of Mitrovica represents an attempt by the Serbs to split the disputed territory, which they claim as their own despite the Kosovo Albanian majority s Western-backed secession in February.

The assembly consists of 45 Serb representatives elected in Serb local elections in Kosovo, held in May. Serbs control about 15 per cent of Kosovo s territory in the southeastern corner of Europe.

"The assembly is the foundation of the Serb protection of Kosovo," said Marko Jaksic, one of the hardline Serb leaders. "We will not allow the formation of another Albanian state in this part of Europe."

A declaration adopted by the self-proclaimed parliament said that Kosovo is "an inseparable part of Serbia," that Kosovo Serbs would abide by the Serbian laws and its constitution and that Kosovo's secession was an illegal act.

Kosovo's President Fatmir Sejdiu has said that the Kosovo Serb leaders are trying to destabilise the new country by creating a separate assembly. He said the self-proclaimed parliament is part of their "illegal structures".

Source : PTI