Kosovo assembly opens amid tight security

Kosovo's first democratically elected parliament is due to hold its opening ceremony today in Pristina, Nato peace-keepers having checked and sealed the parliament building.

The inaugural session will be addressed by Hans Haekkerup, UN administrator of the mostly Albanian province, which though formally part of Serbia has not been under Belgrade rule since Nato's air war against Yugoslavia in 1999. The assembly is scheduled to elect a speaker and a president. The presidency is expected to go to Ibrahim Rugova, whose moderate Democratic League of Kosovo won the 17 November elections. But Mr Rugova's party does not have an absolute majority and he will need to find coalition partners.

Tension between Albanians and Serbs in the province remains high and the 22 deputies from the minority Serbian community will be given a police escort to the ceremony.