Pristina - Kosovo's new multi-ethnic assembly held its inaugural session yesterday, only to see a walkout by the second largest party and the delay of the presidential election.
The 120 deputies from across the Yugoslav province's ethnic divide, hailed by the UN as its first democratically elected legislature, were chosen last month in Kosovo's first general election since NATO bombs ended Serb rule in 1999.
But the message of reconciliation was overshadowed when members of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) briefly left the renovated socialist-era assembly hall in protest at their proposals being ignored and after their leader, Mr Hashim Thaci, found the microphone switched off when he wanted to speak.