A milestone on the road to democracy. (Kosovo).

It was on a crisp, sunny December morning, as if the freshness of the air outside symbolized a new beginning for Kosovo, that all 120 members of the newly-elected Assembly, which for the first time in history truly represented the people of this province, gathered in the refurbished Conference Hall of the Government Building in Pristina. As the moment of the opening was approaching, everybody present felt more and more agitated. No surprise: the Assembly was to take upon it the very important and demanding task of actually running Kosovo, as well as the lead in a journey to ethnic reconciliation, tolerance and democracy.

It was also highly symbolic that the inaugural session was held on 10 December--Human Rights Day and the day when Secretary-General Kofi Annan received the Nobel Peace Prize as recognition of the enduring efforts of the United Nations to make the world a more peaceful and better place.

In declaring the session open, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Hans Haekkerup, stated that the international community had invested huge efforts to ensure peace and stability in Kosovo and the region. It was, therefore, the Assembly's responsibility to supplement and develop those efforts, thus securing continued support for Kosovo from the world outside. All communities should enjoy equal rights and responsibilities, free from any form of discrimination; only on that basis could the men and women of Kosovo become an integral part of European and world development, he added.

The Secretary-General, in a personal message delivered by Mr. Haekkerup to Kosovo's parliamentarians, said the inauguration of the Assembly marked the beginning of the transfer of authority from the United Nations to the provisional institutions of self-government. "This is an important step towards the implementation of Security Council resolution 1244, adopted thirty months ago. It is also a milestone on the road to democracy and peaceful development in Kosovo", he declared. The Assembly faced the challenge of achieving efficient daily government and had an "important task in overcoming the legacy of the past and establishing a political culture of tolerance, mutual respect and constructive compromise. No one must suffer discrimination by virtue of her or his ethnic origin", the Secretary-General stressed.

The Assembly then moved on to elect its seven-member Presidency. Under the Constitutional Framework, the first two political entities having obtained the highest number of votes--in this case, the LDK and the PDK--are each entitled to nominate two members of the Presidency.

The Kosovo Serb alliance--Coalition Return (Povratak)--was also asked to propose two candidates; in addition to one reserved for it under the Constitutional Framework, it could also nominate another member because it had obtained the third highest number of votes in the poll. One more member was supposed to be appointed by representatives of the Kosovo non-Albanian and non-Serb communities.

Still, the day brought its surprises. The PDK faction refused to nominate their candidates and walked out of the Assembly hall. They later returned, but after the Presidency was already elected. The nominated members--Nexhat Daci and Fatmir Sejdiu of the LDK, Gojko Savic of Coalition Povratak, and Dzezair Murati, representing the Kosovo non-Albanian and non-Serb communities--nevertheless constituted a quorum. Mr. Haekkerup wished them success in their future work, and also expressed hope that the PDK candidates would join at a later stage.

In addressing the Assembly, Nexhat Daci, who was named Chairman of the Presidency, said Kosovo was now liberated and well-protected, thanks to the multinational security force and the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), adding that it was moving towards Europe. But on the way it had to achieve democracy, ethnic harmony, tolerance and respect for the rule of law.

In its first decision, the Presidency members adjourned the session until 13 December, thus postponing consideration of other issues on the agenda, including the election of Kosovo's President.

The inaugural session became a major victory for both the people of Kosovo and the international community. The Assembly embarked on a crucial undertaking that will determine the future of the province, how fast it will move along the road of democracy and economic development, so that it can become an integral part of Europe.

Residents of Kosovo, through their elected representatives, will now be running their daily affairs. UNMIK will act more as an adviser and observer. The Assembly and the provisional self-government it will establish will have to demonstrate to the world their efficiency and political maturity. The international community is stepping aside to let the people of Kosovo take charge almost entirely of themselves. Therefore, the Assembly members should realize how great the expectations are and act accordingly. They must work together, because they have one common goal--to make Kosovo a truly democratic and tolerant society, in which people of every ethnicity enjoy equal rights.

"I strongly believe that we will find the strength and energy to work together", Assembly President Daci told the press after the inaugural session.

We, the international community, would only like to say one thing: let it come true as soon as possible.

Sergei Vinogradov, a member of the UN Chronicle editorial staff, is on assignment with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. He contributed this report from Pristina.