(28 Jun 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Pan to entrance of Gracanica monastery with people arriving
2. People making sign of cross and kissing gate as they enter monastery
3. Wide of service in the monastery grounds
4. People entering monastery building
5. Various of people lighting candles and praying
6. Various of congregation in monastery grounds
7. Various of service
8. Close-up of women praying
9. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Rada Trajkovic, moderate Serb leader:
"This is a very important day for Serb people and we don't need to be connected with the creation of some kind of assembly, I can say that the formation of this assembly is clearly political and will not do any good for the Kosovo Serb people."
10. Various of service
11. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Milos (only one name given), Serb pilgrim from Zemun:
"Today I am praying for the salvation of the Serb people and for all the heroes who fell in the Kosovo battle."
12. Wide of monastery viewed through gate
STORYLINE
Kosovo Serbs observed St. Vitus Day with a religious service at Gracanica's Orthodox monastery on Saturday as hardline Serb leaders prepared to convene a separate assembly in the ethically divided north of the territory.
St. Vitus Day holds special historical significance for Serbs as it marks the anniversary of the 1389 battle in which a Christian army led by Serbian Prince Lazar was defeated in Kosovo by invading Ottoman forces.
The battle came to symbolise Serbs' historic resolve not to give up Kosovo, the heartland of their statehood and religion.
The service was held as Serb leaders moved towards convening a separate assembly in the northern town of Mitrovica, which is split between majority ethnic Albanians and minority Serbs.
Kosovo's president has accused hardline Serb leaders of trying to destabilise the new country by creating a separate assembly.
The assembly will consist of Serb representatives elected May 11 in Serb local elections in Kosovo, held in defiance of the United Nations and ignoring Kosovo's independence declaration.
The move was likely to further raise tensions between the Albanian majority and Serb minority, whose rivalry has brought the fledgling state to the verge of partition.
Rada Trajkovic, a moderate Serbian leader who attended the service in Gracanica, condemned efforts to create a Serb assembly.
"This is a very important day for Serb people and we don't need to be connected with the creation of some kind of assembly, I can say that the formation of this assembly is clearly political and will not do any good for the Kosovo Serb people," said Trajkovic.
Milos, a Serb pilgrim from Zemun, said: "I am praying for the salvation of the Serb people and for all the heroes who fell in the Kosovo battle."
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February, and has since won recognition from the US and most EU nations, but Serbia and Russia have declared the move illegal under international law.
The country's constitution came into force on June 15, granting broad autonomy to the Serb minority in Kosovo.
Kosovo's Serbs have largely shunned the new country's institutions, in line with Belgrade's instructions to undermine the government and international mentors and to work directly with Serbia instead.
The UN had planned to leave once Kosovo's authorities took control, alongside a European Union mission, after the constitution came into effect.
Following Russia's objections that blocked the deployment of the EU mission, the UN was forced to remain and deal largely with issues concerning the Serb minority.
Gracanica is a predominantly Serb enclave, about 15 kilometres (9.5 miles) east of Kosovo.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
