Kosovo's president "selected by U.S. envoy"

PRIŠTINA -- Former Kosovo President Behgjet Pacolli says U.S. Ambassador in Kosovo Christopher Dell, rather than local political parties, selected the new president.
Clinton meets with Jahjaga (Beta, file)
Clinton meets with Jahjaga (Beta, file)
Atifete Jahjaga was appointed to the office by the assembly in Priština on Thursday.
Pacolli briefly held the position earlier this year, but was forced to step down when his election was deemed "unconstitutional".

Now the businessman and New Kosovo Alliance leader says he never heard of Jahjaga before her name was brought up as presidential candidate, and claims that Hashim Thaci and Isa Mustafa "exchanged glances when the name was presented to them".

"I said - I'm withdrawing. Then the U.S. ambassador opened up an envelope and said: you need to accept this because you're lose a great friend, and the U.S. agenda for Kosovo," Pacolli claims.

"When U.S. Ambassador Christopher Dell produced the name of Atifete Jahjage from the envelope in order to suggest her as president, Hashim Thaci and Isa Mustafa were surprised," he told Priština-based TV Clan.

In a statement of his own, Dell said his country cooperated with Jahjaga for many years.

Dell said that she had "earned the admiration and respect of all those that worked with her, from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to hundreds of U.S. policemen and women that were proud to
serve next to her during the past 11 years".

The 36-year-old joined the Kosovo police (KPS) as translator in 2000, and left it to become president of Kosovo as deputy general-director, holding the rank of major-general.
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Jahjaga elected as president of Kosovo

Friday 8.04.2011 | 10:53 | Source: Beta, VIP | Comments: (3) | Send comment PRIŠTINA -- The Kosovo assembly appointed Atifete Jahjaga as president of Kosovo during the initial vote when a two-thirds majority is required.