(17 Nov 2007)
1. Wide interior of polling station, people queuing to vote
2. Pan across of people queuing at voting booths
3. Various of people behind booths and casting ballots
4. Close-up of ballot boxes filled with ballot papers
5. Close-up of person voting at booth
6. Pan of people waiting to vote
7. People voting at booths
8. Wide of ballot boxes filled with ballot papers
9. Wide pan of people waiting to vote
10. Mid people lining up to cast vote
STORYLINE:
Kosovo went to the polls on Saturday to elect a parliament, which they hope will deliver them an independent state.
Voters queued in low temperatures at polling stations in the third vote for the legislature since the province came under United Nations and NATO control in 1999 after the last in a string of wars that shattered Yugoslavia.
The province formally remains a part of Serbia.
The leading candidate and opposition leader Hashim Thaci, favoured as the likely winner, told Associated Press shortly after he cast his vote that if he becomes Kosovo's prime minister he would declare independence from Serbia after December 10.
The date is when international envoys must report back to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on efforts to resolve the dispute over Kosovo's future status.
Decisions on Kosovo's status are made through a forum of top ethnic Albanian leaders, who include the province's prime minister as well as opposition politicians.
However, any declaration of independence has to be formally endorsed by the province's parliament.
Kosovans have watched with increasing scepticism as their leaders have failed in two years of plodding negotiations to achieve independence.
In the meantime, the economy is in a shambles, jobs are scarce and power outages are plentiful.
Election officials said turnout was low, around 30 percent by early afternoon, although it was expected to rise before polls close at 1800GMT.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
