U.S. welcomes Kosovo's first local elections

The United States on Monday congratulated Kosovo on holding its first local elections since its unilateral declaration of independence, Xinhua reported.
   Earlier in the day, Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci claimed his Democratic Party of Kosovo has emerged the winner in most municipalities in Sunday's elections, the first since its self-declared independence from Serbia in February 2008.
   No serious incidents were reported during the voting.
   "We congratulate the citizens from all of Kosovo's ethnic communities, including the new Kosovo Serb-majority municipalities, on their significant participation in these polls to elect their local government representatives," U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said in a statement.
   "These elections represent a significant milestone for Kosovo in building a multiethnic, democratic society for all of its citizens," said the spokesman.
   Although Thaci called on Kosovo's 100,000 Serbs not to boycott the vote, the turnout was much lower in Serb-dominated areas, including 23 percent in Gracanica, 12 percent in Ranillug and 25 percent in Klokot.
   A breakaway province of Serbia, ethnic Albanian-dominated Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in February 2008. However, Serbia has said it will never recognize Kosovo's independence, dismissing the move as illegal and violating international law.